Box Score Game Box (pdf)
SPARTANBURG, SC – With two goals in the second half, the Wofford men’s soccer team defeated Elon 2-1 on Sunday afternoon at Snyder Field in front of 1,014 fans to win the Southern Conference Tournament Championship. Wilson Hood scored the first goal for Wofford and was named Tournament Most Valuable Player, while Kentrel Owens had the game-winner.
Wofford improves to 12-2-3 overall, the best mark in school history as a NCAA Division I team. Elon ends the season at 10-8-2 overall. With the title, the Terriers receive the conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
“These guys never cease to amaze me,” said SoCon Coach of the Year Ralph Polson. “We started practice exactly three months ago and our goals were to have a winning record, have a winning record in the conference because we knew that would get us into the tournament, and then we kept going. Let’s win the regular season and host the tournament. Let’s win the tournament and go to the NCAA’s. We knew how big these goals were. They worked so hard to do everything that we have asked them to do. Every training session is competitive and every player has contributed to what we have been able to do. I am so proud of these guys and these ten seniors.”
Elon had a chance to get on the board one minute into the game, but a header by Chris Thomas was caught by the Terriers’ goalkeeper Thomas Hunter. Wofford responded less than four minutes later with a header by Yakov Rubinchik, but Clint Irwin made the save for the Phoenix.
The teams would trade shots throughout the first half with neither team finding the back of the net. Wofford had seven shots to Elon’s four in the first half.
At 62:47 Scott Redding crossed the ball to Wilson Hood, who placed the ball in the left corner of the net from 15 yards out to put the Terriers on the board 1-0.
Seven minutes later at 70:53 Kentrel Owens added a second goal for Wofford, this time breaking away from the defense for a one-on-one with Irwin. Owens was able to get the ball past a diving Irwin to take a 2-0 lead.
The Phoenix responded less than four minutes later as Chris Thomas sent a shot into the box that Hunter was unable to recover. After a scramble in front of the goal, Erfan Imeni was able to put it in for the Phoenix, making the score 2-1.
Elon kept up the offensive pressure in the final ten minutes of play. Their last chance came in the 89th minute on a shot by ChrisThomas, but Hunter was there to make the save. The Phoenix had six shots in the second half compared to Wofford’s four.
For the Terriers, goalie Thomas Hunter made five saves and had one goal against. In goal for the Phoenix, Clint Irwin had three saves and two goals against. Fouls were even at 6 each. Yellow cards were issued to the Elon bench (58:34), Elon’s James Carroll (53:12) and Wofford’s Andrew Eppelsheimer (39:30).
Wilson Hood, with three goals in the two-games, was named Tournament Most Valuable Player. Joining Hood on the All-Tournament team were Armin Kinigadner, Kentrel Owens and Thomas Hunter.
Wofford will learn their opponent in the NCAA Tournament on Monday. The Selection Show will be announced live on ESPNews between 5:30 and 6:00 pm. The Terriers will gather in McMillan Theater in the Campus Life Building to watch the broadcast. The public is invited to attend.
