ELON, N.C. – A long-range goal from junior
Scott Vatne and a clean sheet in net for
Tomasz Wroblewski helped the Elon University men's soccer team to a 1-0 victory over UNCW on Saturday night, Oct. 28, at Rudd Field.
The win secured the Phoenix (5-8-3, 3-3-2 CAA) the sixth and final seed in the upcoming CAA Tournament as Elon won its fourth game out of its last five matches including three straight league games. The Seahawks fell to 6-6-4 on the season and 1-4-3 in league play.
THE RUNDOWN
• Going into the match with both teams needing a win to clinch the final spot for the CAA Tournament, the Phoenix and the Seahawks both came out aggressively at the start of the match. Elon had four shot attempts within the first five minutes including three on goal.
• The Seahawks countered with a couple of shots on target in the fifth and the 10
th minute, but both chances were turned away by Wroblewski.
• Wroblewski continued his standout play in goal with two more saves in the 14
th and 18
th minute. UNCW continued to pepper Wroblewski with shots in the opening half with the Warszawa, Poland, native coming up big with six total saves in the first period.
• Elon almost broke the scoring stalemate in the 31
st minute.
Ben Rosenblatt found himself free of the right side just inside the 18-yard box. The senior pushed a shot past the keeper, but it would hit the far post before being cleared out of play.
• Just a little over five minutes into the second half, the Phoenix finally got on the board.
Calle Edelstam was able to force a Seahawks' turnover and pushed the ball to Vatne up the field on the left side. The Klepp, Norway, native took a few steps from near midfield before firing a contested shot with the keeper off his line. The ball was able to sail over the netminder into the open goal to put Elon on the board, 1-0.
• UNCW turned up the offensive aggression and had a chance to tie the game on a counterattack in the 59
th minute. The Seahawks' Omar Aboutaleb was able to get ahead of the defense for a one-on-one look at goal, but he was turned away by Wrobleski once again.
• On the same play, the Phoenix almost had its second goal off the advantage with
Luca Erhardt getting a look just outside the box that was kicked away by UNCW's keeper.
• Vatne nearly had a brace in the 62
nd minute.
Majaliwa Msabaha was able to hold off the defense on a through ball on a counterattack and played the ball to Vatne, who was trailing behind the play. Vatne could not get settled and pushed the ball off target for a UNCW goal kick.
• The Seahawks continued to press and push numbers up, but could not find the equalizer as the Phoenix held on for the 1-0 win.
Notes
• The Phoenix ended the match with 18 total shots, its second-highest single-game total this season. Elon's seven shots on target also tie for the second-most in a match this year.
• Wroblewski ended the match with a season-high 10 saves for his third shutout of the year. The 10 saves are the most that a Phoenix netminder has made since Nathan Dean had nine versus William & Mary in 2013.
• Vatne had five shots to lead the Phoenix with three coming on goal.
Victor Stromsten added three shots for the maroon and gold.
UP NEXT
The sixth-seeded Phoenix travels to Monmouth for the quarterfinal round of the CAA Tournament on Thursday, Nov. 2 and will face No. 3 seed Stony Brook at 6 p.m.
-- ELON --
