ELON, N.C. – A goal by Vemund Hole Vik with 10 minutes remaining lifted the Elon University men's soccer team to a 3-2 victory over Colonial Athletic Association foe College of Charleston on Saturday, Oct. 22 at Rudd Field.
 
Hole Vik's goal secured the Phoenix (10-3-2, 6-1-1 CAA) a top-two seed for the upcoming league tournament. Elon also earned its fourth straight win over the Cougars (5-5-4, 3-2-2 CAA) and extended its unbeaten streak to eight against CofC in the regular season.
 
"Every CAA game is so tight," said Elon head coach Marc Reeves. "Today, we came up against a really strong opponent in Charleston. From top to bottom, every game in our league is a scrap with some quality teams and I think today we had the slight edge to get it done. I'm incredibly proud of our seniors. They have put a ton into this program and maybe it was aligned for them to get the win today on Senior Day."
 
THE RUNDOWN
• Elon found itself down early in the match after College of Charleston earned a penalty kick after a foul in the box in the fifth minute. The Cougars' Leonardo D'Ambrosio was able to convert to put CofC ahead 1-0.
• About six minutes later, Elon leveled the contest at one-all. The Phoenix drew a corner kick with Kasper Lehm servicing the ball into the box where it found the head of Mason Duval. Duval was able to place the ball into the back of the net at the near post and tied the contest at 1-1.
• The Phoenix took the lead inside the 21^st minute of play. Scott Vatne sent a through ball to Lehm at the far post, who then one-touched it into the box where Jeppe Jordoson headed it in near the six-yard area.
• The Cougars nearly tied the match before the end of the opening half as CofC's Rio Murray found himself with a good look just outside the 18-yard box with less than 20 seconds remaining. Ryan Bilichuk was able to knock it away before it curved inside the post as the first period came to an end.
• Charleston did eventually find the evasive equalizer in the 73^rd minute of action. Striker Chris Elliott got free for his eighth goal of the year to level the match at 2-2.
• Six minutes later, the Phoenix would retake the lead for good thanks to Hole Vik. Majaliwa Msabaha swung a beautiful cross into the box where Hole Vik was able to connect and push the ball past the keeper for his second game-winning goal of the year.
 
NOTES
• Elon has scored three goals in each of its past three games. Prior to that, the maroon and gold had only found the back of the net three times in its previous four matches.
• The Phoenix won the shot battle, 14-10, and had a slight 6-5 advantage in attempts on target. Elon also had nine corners compared to five for the Cougars.
• Jordoson became the 13^th unique goal scorer for the Phoenix this season with his first of the year in the 21^st minute.
• Lehm and Vatne both added their sixth assists of the season, which is tied for third in the CAA.
• The Phoenix moved its all-time series record to 11-12-2 versus Charleston. Elon's last setback to the Cougars came in the 2018 season.
• Today's win guarantees the Phoenix will host a semifinals game for the CAA Tournament with that game slated for Sunday, Nov. 6.
• Elon 10th win of the season gives the Phoenix its first double-digit winning campaign since posting 14 victories in 2015.
 
UP NEXT
The Phoenix travels to in-state rival UNCW for the right to be the regular season conference champion next Saturday, Oct. 29 at 7 p.m. An Elon win or draw would reward the maroon and gold to its first-ever CAA outright title and its first league title of any kind since 2015.