ELON, N.C. – The Elon University men's soccer team will host fellow Piedmont Triad rival High Point on Wednesday, Sept. 28 to begin a four-match homestand. The game is scheduled for a 7 p.m. kickoff at Rudd Field.
 
HOW TO FOLLOW
• Wednesday's match will be streamed live on FloFC via a paid subscription.
• Links for the broadcast and live stats can be found on the Elon men's soccer schedule page at elonphoenix.com.
• Other in-game updates will be provided on Twitter by following @ElonMSoccer.
 
MATCH DAY PROMOTIONS
• In honor of National Scarf Day (Sept. 27), free "Flood The Rudd" soccer scarves will be handed out to current Elon University students at the match.
 
THE MATCHUP
• Elon and High Point are meeting for the 56^th time on the soccer pitch in a series dating back to 1972. The Panthers carry a 30-13-12 advantage all-time over the maroon and gold.
• High Point won last year's contest, 3-2, on a golden goal in overtime at High Point. The Panthers have taken the past two contests in the series.
• The Phoenix's last win over the Panthers came in 2018 with Elon coming away with a 2-1 victory at High Point.
 
LAST TIME OUT
• Elon returned to the win column last Saturday, Sept. 24, as the Phoenix earned a 2-1 result at Colonial Athletic Association newcomer Monmouth. It was the third straight victory for the Phoenix in league play who improved to 3-1 in the CAA standings.
• Elon scored the first goal of the match in the 18^th minute as Mason Duval added his team-best fourth score of the year.
• In the 40^th minute, the Phoenix doubled its lead with Vemund Hole Vik connecting on his first goal of the season.
• Monmouth added a tally in the 80^th minute, but would be held without a shot the rest of the match as Elon prevailed 2-1.
 
DOMINANT DEFENSE
• The Elon defense has posted five clean sheets this season including three in a row in one stretch. The Phoenix is also ranked in the top-five of the country in shutout percentage at 0.625.
• Prior to its goal allowed to Monmouth in its last match, the Phoenix had not conceded a goal in 301 consecutive minutes during CAA play.
• Three members of the Phoenix have earned three CAA Defensive Player of the Week honors so far this season. Senior outside backs Vemund Hole Vik (Sept. 12) and Kasper Lehm (Sept. 19) along with keeper Ryan Bilichuk (Aug. 29) have played key roles in Elon's defensive performance this season.
• Both Lehm and Hole Vik garnered national recognition as well this season. Lehm was named to the College Soccer News and Top Drawer Soccer National Team of the Week on Sept. 20 while Hole Vik received honorable mention honors on Sept. 13.
• Bilichuk is tied for the national lead in shutouts with five and is seventh in the country in GAA at 0.50.
 
OPENING STANZA
• The Phoenix is off to its best start since 2016 at 6-2 overall. Elon is also currently first in the Atlantic Regional rankings and was receiving votes in the latest United Soccer Coaches poll.
• Elon is second in the CAA in goals per match (1.625) and has a league-best 1.13 differential margin.
• The Phoenix holds an overall 97-75 advantage in shots over the opposition. Elon also has a 45-26 advantage in shots on goal, hitting the target at a .464 percent clip.
• Duval leads the Phoenix in points (eight) and goals (four). The senior striker is fourth in the CAA with two game-winning goals.
• The Phoenix is coming off a 9-8-2 ledger during the 2021 fall season and advanced to the CAA Championship final for the first time in school history.
• Elon returns 21 players and seven starters in 2022 including All-CAA performers Kasper Lehm and Jannik Videbaek. The maroon and gold also welcomes back a pair of CAA All-Rookie team players in Calle Edelstam and Scott Vatne.
• Both Lehm and Videbaek were selected to the 2022 Preseason All-CAA team. The Phoenix as a team was tabbed third by the league's head coaches in the 2022 CAA Preseason Poll.
• Three players will don the captain armband for the Phoenix this season. Videbaek joins returning captains Jeppe Jordoson and Marco Vesterholm as the team captains for the 2022 season.
• Elon welcomes eight newcomers to its roster for 2022 – Gustavo Atencio, Ryan Bilichuk, Michael Clow, Myson Darden, Carlos Levy, Majaliwa Msabaha, Sumner Nenninger and Franc Gamiz Quer.
• Marc Reeves is in his sixth season as the head coach of the Phoenix. Through his 12 seasons overall as a head coach, Reeves has posted a career record of 112-80-33.
 
SCOUTING HIGH POINT
• The Panthers are 3-2-2 on the season and ride a three-match unbeaten streak into Rudd Field on Wednesday. High Point is coming off a 4-1 win at fellow Big South foe Winthrop on Saturday.
• High Point went 8-7-3 in 2021, but was unblemished in Big South play at 5-0-3. The Panthers were picked second in the conference's 2022 preseason poll.
• The Panthers have scored 11 goals this season to average 1.57 goals per contest. High Point is also firing 10.4 shots per match with .397 percent of those coming on target.
• Six players have scored a goal so far this season for High Point. Strikers Kaya Ignacio and Noah Holmes are tied for the team-lead with three each with Ignacio pacing the Panthers with seven total points.
• Holden Trent has appeared in all seven matches in goal for the Panthers with the Greensboro, N.C., native holding a GAA of 1.57. The redshirt senior has made 27 saves with a .711 save percentage.
 
UP NEXT
Elon continues its homestand versus Drexel on Saturday, Oct. 1 with kickoff set for 7:30 p.m.