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CARY, N.C. – The Wofford men’s soccer team came up just short in the SoCon Championship game as they fell to the Elon Phoenix 2-1 Saturday night.  The Terriers advanced to the final as the seven seed and finish the season 10-9-2, while Elon (15-4-2) advances to the NCAA tournament for the second straight season.
 
Elon controlled the majority of the first half and would waste no time testing the Wofford defense.  The Phoenix took three shots in the first 7^th minutes.  The final shot by Chris Thomas required a saved by Wofford goalkeeper Andrew Drennan.  However, the Phoenix would open the scoring in the 9^th minute when Mark Berlin and Jason Waterman assisted on Matt Wescoe headed goal.  Berlin sent the ball into the right corner to Waterman, who crossed it to Wescoe, who was able to beat Drennan with a header into the bottom left corner.  Elon would threaten two more times in the first half but Drennan was there to make both saves to keep the score 1-0 in favor of the Phoenix.  Wofford would tally six shots in the first half but none were on goal.  Elon would take 11 shots with five on target.
 
In the second half, Elon nearly doubled their lead after just two minutes but a Terrier defender was able to clear Jason Waterman’s shot off the goal line.  The Phoenix continued on the attack in the 58^th minute when they earned three straight corners.  All three looked dangerous but Forrest Lasso was able to clear all of the Gabe Latigue’s crosses.  However, despite Elon’s control, the Terriers would score an equalizer in the 71^st minute when Ethan Miller assisted on Ellis Vienne’s first goal of the season.  After earning only their second corner kick of the game, Miller sent the ball into the box where Vienne was waiting to head the ball past Phoenix keeper Nathan Dean.
 
Elon would respond to retake the lead just four minutes later on a free kick by Latigue from about 25 yards out.  After a Wofford foul, Latigue fired a curving shot around the wall into the top left corner of the net past Drennan.  Wofford continue to push to score an equalizer but it was too late as Elon held on to win 2-1.  Overall, the Phoenix controlled the game and held the edge in shots (17-14) and corners taken (4-2).
 
Andrew Drennan turned in another solid game as he recorded four saves on 17 shots faced.  Nathan Dean made three saves on 14 shots to help lead Elon back to the NCAA tournament.
 
Three Terriers were named to the All-tournament team.  First Andrew Drennan, who recorded 11 saves in three games including two saves in the penalty shootout against Appalachian State in the Semifinals.  Second, Taylor Grim who anchored the Wofford defense that allowed only one goal in both the quarter and semifinal match-ups.  Finally, Ellis Vienne, who scored the Terriers loan goal in the final and converted the winning penalty kick against Appalachian State in the semifinal.