The Elon University men’s soccer team suffered a tightly contested, 2-1 loss to No. 21 Coastal Carolina Friday night. Coming out of halftime down 2-0, the Phoenix was able to score in the 49th minute when a Chanticleer knocked the ball into his own net off midfielder Gabe Latigue’s corner.
It was the only goal the Phoenix could manage en route to a disappointing one-goal loss. Despite the loss, head coach Darren Powell insists the Phoenix still played one of their most complete games of the season.
“We did a lot of things well, we have a lot of positives to draw from the game,” Powell said. “Our performance was probably as good a performance as we’ve had all year.”
Although Powell was encouraged by his team’s performance, he knows the Phoenix hasn’t reached their full potential. He believes the team must improve in every facet of the game in order to be successful.
“We could improve on all aspects of our game,” Powell said. “(We can work on) collective trapping, collective attacking. It’s still very early in the season so what we try and do is progress each game.”
Powell readily admits conceding a goal in the fourth minute isn’t exactly starting the game “strongly,” but was proud of the way his team fought back from early adversity.
“To concede a penalty early, which some would say passes as a little harsh, we were already a goal down early in the game,” Powell said. “During that time we didn’t ask any questions of the Coastal team, the Coastal defenders. In the second half we posed many questions to all of them.”
Redshirt junior defenseman Nick Butterly believes the character the Phoenix showed to claw their way back into the game was important for the team going forward.
“I think we’re a resilient group, that’s for sure,” Butterly said. “We’re able to get over the jump sometimes when a team’s on us we’re able to collectively, as a group, calm down and get back in the game. Get back in control.”
After a first half in which the Chanticleers dominated much of the play, scoring 2 goals and looking unbeatable, but Powell told his players at halftime to play loosely and stay relaxed.
“We weren’t posing any threat to Coastal,” Powell said. “We had to figure out a way to put more pressure on Coastal. We were just off formation slightly. The guys have a desire and looked at it positively and ended up scoring the early goal [in the second half].”
Butterly says Powell’s halftime speech was simple, yet very effective.
“He just reminded us about past performances,” Butterly said. “(He was) coaching where we were offensively and how one goal and we were right back in the match. We got that early goal and it was a scrappy game after that.”
Powell is proud of his team not only for the character they showed to score so early in the second half, but also for playing stout second half defense.
“(I’m) very encouraged by the second half performance, collectively,” Powell said. “The second half should come as a very good collective performance throughout the team.”
The Phoenix must shake this one off and prepare for their last game of their current four-game road trip, a Sept. 19 meeting with the College of William & Mary. A team Powell says the Phoenix should be wary of.
“I think we need to prepare ourselves to play a full ninety minutes,” Powell said. “William & Mary is a top, top team.”
Nick Butterly is also aware of how dangerous the Tribe can be if they’re not taken seriously.
“We know William & Mary is a very good program, a very good team,” Butterly said. “We’re going to have a hard-fought battle. We’re going to do everything we can to get the away victory that we need.”