The low 50-degree weather at Rudd Field was perfect for free scarf night as Elon University men’s soccer hosted in-state rival High Point University. Although the game ended in a 0-0 draw, the stellar play from both goalies as well as last minute chances kept the large crowd on the edge of their seats until the clock hit zeros.
With just over two minutes left, the Phoenix thought it had finally broken the tie when the ball ended up in the back of the net off of a corner kick. But as players and fans began to celebrate, the officials made a foul call on senior defender Vemund Hole Vik, nullifying the goal and keeping the game tied at 0-0.
“I need to see the goal that got called back again,” head coach Marc Reeves said. “They are claiming it’s a foul on the keeper, but our guys are saying they didn’t touch him.”
Despite having a hard time finding the back of the net, the Phoenix set itself up with good chances throughout the contest. Reeves said he was pleased with the quality of the opportunities the team created, especially the ones in the second half.
“We are exceptional on the left hand side, and we work the ball well into good spots,” Reeves said. “We often hit it right at the goal keeper as opposed to putting it away, but pleased with the second half performance.”
For the Phoenix, graduate student goalkeeper Ryan Bilichuk had another phenomenal game in goal, posting two saves and achieving his sixth shutout of the season. Bilichuk said that he keeps his composure for every shot he faces, no matter how far into a close game the Phoenix find itself.
“You have to treat every shot the same no matter the minutes,” Bilichuk said. “If you can do that then you give yourself the best chance at stopping the ball.”
Despite the tie, Bilichuk said he is happy with the team’s overall performance and how they refuse to give into adversity.
“Disappointing we couldn’t get the win, but we kept a clean sheet, so there's a lot to be proud of,” Bilichuk said. “We were relentless and we just kept going to the last minute.”
As the Phoenix head into the second half of the year, coach Reeves said he was also gruntled with the team’s play.
“We’re really focused on the CAA side of it,” Reeves said. “I haven’t had to be concerned with our effort, our energy or even our general play. We have been very good in most games.”
Tonight's game against High Point University marked the start of a now three-game home stand for the Phoenix, as the Oct. 4 matchup against University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has been postponed due to Hurricane Ian. However, Elon is still set to take on Drexel on Saturday Oct. 1, where it looks to regroup after the tie.
“We go again,” Bilichuk said. “We look forward to the next one.”