The Elon University men’s soccer team has one semi-concerning weakness that could affect them going forward. It’s not their offense, which has scored five goals in two games, including a three-goal onslaught against Campbell University. It’s not their passing, or leadership, or even their team chemistry. It’s their sometimes spotty defense, which, at the best of times, can be a tad shaky.
Just look at the season opener against High Point University, a slightly above-average team the Phoenix should’ve beaten. Elon’s back line was exposed, giving up several set pieces deep in their own territory, two of which resulted in goals. If that’s not troublesome enough, the two goals were just two minutes apart, which ultimately crushed the will of both the Phoenix players and their fans, who had come out in record-setting numbers to cheer on their team.
So how did they respond? To their credit, they came out with a defensive intensity I didn’t think possible against Campbell, giving up one second-half goal en route to a convincing 3-1 win. Phoenix sophomore goalkeeper Nathan Dean, whose struggles were obvious against High Point, made a series of spectacular, highlight-reel saves against the Camels. Can they play shut down defense the entire year? That’s what remains to be seen. If the Phoenix can continue to be stingy on their back line, this team can play with anyone, anywhere, in any conference, as they showed last year.
If they remain porous in back, as they were against High Point, this team will struggle against the quality opponents they play later on this season. The Phoenix can afford to fall asleep on defense against Campbell, but against talented foes in the Southern Conference, mediocre defense simply won’t cut it. It won’t cut it against non-conference powerhouses Coastal Carolina University, Wake Forest University or Duke University.
These next four games are huge. All four are on the road, one a rematch with Coastal Carolina, whom the Phoenix played in their first ever NCAA tournament appearance a year ago. That game will be Elon’s first stern test of the year, the first time their back line will deal with dynamic playmakers on the opposing offense.
But it’ll be fantastic experience for a back line struggling to find consistency. If they’re able to take three, or even all four games of their upcoming road-trip, playing shut down defense in the process, they will continue to build momentum as they approach the meat of their schedule.
But I’m not going to get ahead of myself. The Phoenix has given their fans one impressive defensive performance, against a lower level Division-1 program, thus far this season. In order to get that second straight NCAA tournament appearance, the defense will have to step up. The Phoenix has plenty of guys who can put the ball in the back of the net, but do they have anyone willing to be a defensive stopper? Only then will the Phoenix be able to consistently keep the ball out of the back of the net and keep their goalkeeper clean.
If they can channel the effort they showed on the defensive end against Campbell for the rest of the year, they’ll be well on their way to a second straight appearance in soccer’s big dance.