TAMPA, Fla. – Two second-half goals from South Florida led to a 2-1 win over the Elon University men's soccer team on Sunday night, Sept. 17, at Corbett Stadium.
 
The loss dropped the Phoenix to 1-3-2 on the season, while the Bulls improved to 2-4 on the year.
 
The Rundown
Elon got the first shot on goal of the match in the ninth minute. Scott Vatne played the ball about 25 yards outside of the box off a Phoenix counter and tried to chip a shot over the keeper, who was backpedaling towards the goalline. USF's Alan Horrocks was able to safely corral the ball for the Bulls.
 
The Bulls nearly tacked on the first goal of the match in the 11^th minute. South Florida earned a corner kick with the cross finding the head of Luca Hollenstein, who pushed the ball towards the bottom center of the goal. Tomasz Wroblewski however was able to stop the ball for the save.
 
USF put pressure on the Phoenix again with three shots on target for the next 15 minutes. Wroblewski kept the Phoenix defense clean with saves on all three attempts.
 
The Phoenix scored inside the 29^th minute of the match. Sam Durand found Victor Stromsten up top with a through ball as the striker held off the defender while sizing up Horrocks in goal. The Stockholm, Sweden, native was able to sneak a shot past the keeper for his first score of the year.
 
In the second half, the Phoenix nearly doubled its lead in the 51^st minute. Jack Dolk was able to catch up to a through ball on the left side while fighting off a pair of defenders to get a good look at goal, but it was deflected away by the keeper.
 
Almost ten minutes later, the Phoenix knocked on the door again offensively as Dolk made a run down the right side and sent a cross into the box. The ball found Gustavo Atencio, who made a pass to Vatne near the top of the box with a free look. The shot however went wide left of the goal to keep the match a one-score game.
 
Dolk found himself one-on-one against the keeper just a few minutes later in the 61^st minute after avoiding a sliding tackle just outside the box. The senior tried a low shot under Horrocks, but the netminder was able to get a hand on it for the save.
 
South Florida found the equalizer just before the 75^th minute. USF's Jalen Anderson knotted the contest at one-all from a shot just outside the 18-yard box to erase the Phoenix shutout.
 
Elon almost retook the lead a minute later. Majaliwa Msabaha made a run down the left side and dropped off a pass to Durand, who saw himself alone just inside the box. The shot however was just off target as it sailed left of the post.
 
Anderson put the Bulls ahead in the 81^st minute. The graduate student striker completed the brace after a Phoenix turnover while freeing himself in the box to put USF up 2-1. That proved to be the game-winner as South Florida held the Phoenix without a shot for the remainder of the game to earn the win.
 
Notes
• Wroblewski had five saves for the Phoenix in goal in the contest. It was the fourth game this season that the Warszawa, Poland, native had five or more saves in a contest.
• South Florida outshot the Phoenix, 10-7, but both teams were even in shots at 5-5 in the second half. Elon was also whistled for 14 fouls compared to six for the Bulls.
• Vatne led all players with three shots in the contest with one shot on goal. Dolk had two attempts on target as the Phoenix had four chances with shots on goal in the match.
• The loss drops the Phoenix to 5-9-2 all-time versus current teams in the American Conference.
• Atencio and Eddy Righetti made their first starts of the season for Elon. Atencio played 82 minutes while Righetti manned 64 minutes.
 
Up Next
Elon closes out its road trip with a visit to Drexel next Saturday, Sept. 23, for a rematch of last year's CAA semifinal contest. That game is scheduled for a 1 p.m. kickoff and will stream on FloFC.