Senior midfielder Eduardo Alvarez’s first half penalty kick proved to be the winner as the No. 20 Elon University men’s soccer team defeated No. 7 Wake Forest University 1-0 in a battle of unbeaten teams. With the victory, the Phoenix extends its program-record win streak to start a season up to six matches.
Neither side was able to create many chances in the early going. It took nearly 10 minutes for the first shot of the match, as sophomore midfielder Luis Argudo’s headed effort went high over the bar.
Wake Forest had a pair of chances in the 12th and 16th minutes, but both senior forward Michael Gamble and sophomore midfielder Jon Bakero couldn’t keep theirs shots down.
Eduardo Alvarez nearly put the Phoenix on the board in the 33rd minute, but his shot was blocked by the Wake Forest defense. Alvarez would find the breakthrough in the 41st minute, as he converted from the penalty spot for his third of the season after a foul was called on Wake Forest in the box.
Demon Deacon junior midfielder Jacori Hayes came close to equalizing in the 62nd minute. His initial shot was blocked by the Elon defense and went straight back to Hayes only for his second effort to be blocked again.
Wake Forest continued to pressure Elon’s defense as the match went on. In the 80th minute, junior midfielder Ian Harkes took a shot on goal, but Elon's redshirt freshman goalkeeper Matthew Jegier was there to make the save. Harks had another go in the 88th minute, but Jegier once again got the better of the Wake Forest midfielder to preserve Elon’s fifth clean sheet of the season.
Elon will return to action at 7 p.m. Sept. 18 when it opens up Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) play against Drexel University at Rudd Field.