PISCATAWAY, N.J. – The Elon University men's soccer team posted a dominating performance on the road at Big Ten opponent Rutgers as the Phoenix set a new Division I program-record in goals scored in its 8-1 victory on Sunday night, Sept. 2, at Yurcak Field.

 

Elon (2-1) earned its second straight win overall while also improving to 2-0 all-time in the series versus the Scarlet Knights, who fell to 1-3. The Phoenix's eight goals bested its previous Division I single-game goal record of six versus St. Bonaventure in 2016. The all-time mark was set in a 10-0 win on Sept. 10 versus Mars Hill in 1983.

 

Iñigo Bronte scored a hat trick within the first 28 minutes of the match, the first three goals of his collegiate career. John Walden, Marcel Fahrenholz, Christian Lauenborg and Josh Blank also contributed goals for the Phoenix while an own goal by Rutgers also added to the scoring tally.

 

"I think we prepared well and our players were obviously keen to play," said Elon head coach Marc Reeves. "Anytime you start that well it is hard on the other team to react. I was pleased with our group mentality even in giving up a goal right after halftime. The main thing is that we understand that it is one game and one performance and the key being consistency in what we do each day to continually improve. We need a good week of training as High Point is a very strong team."

 

The Rundown

Bronte got the Phoenix on the board quickly near the third minute. The Spaniard played the ball after a Rutgers turnover and caught the keeper off the line with a shot from near midfield that bounced into the top left corner of the goal.

 

Bronte continued his strong play inside the 16^th minute. The redshirt junior played the ball off a Fahrenholz low cross that bent around the defender and cleanly redirected it from about 17 yards to put the Phoenix ahead 2-0.

 

Bronte completed the hat trick in the 27^th minute of action. The striker played a ball from Asger Hausted Andersen on a cross down the field and was able to get behind the defense. He would take a shot from the top of the 18-yard area to secure the hat trick and put Elon ahead 3-0.

 

Just over five minutes later, Walden would provide the first non-Bronte score of the match for Elon. The junior headed a shot off a Phoenix corner in the 33^rd minute, knocking inside the right post as the lead swelled to 4-0 before the close of the half.

 

Elon had a 7-5 advantage in shots in the opening stanza while also having a 4-2 advantage in corners. The Phoenix converted on all four of its on-goal chances in the first period while blanking the Scarlet Knights from any on-target opportunities.

 

The Scarlet Knights however would quickly erase that stat line to start the second half. A takeaway at midfield lead to Rutgers scoring its lone goal of the contest by Jordan Hall inside the 47^th minute. The junior forward took a shot at the top of the box into the lower right corner for his second goal of the season.

 

The Phoenix answered the miscue with its fifth goal of the contest on Fahrenholz's first career goal two minutes later. The Ober-Ramstadt, Germany, native received a cross from Hassan Pinto from the right side and scored on a sliding shot just past the netminder in the box to put the Phoenix ahead 5-1.

 

A Rutgers' own goal in the 51^st minute made the score 6-1 in favor of the maroon and gold. Elon forced a corner kick and an unfortunate touch by a defender off the set piece sent the ball into back left corner.

 

Another Elon corner in the 60^th minute added the seventh goal of the match for the Phoenix. Bronte sent in the corner that found the head of Lauenborg, who stood just outside the left side of the six-yard area. The Aarhus, Denmark, native headed a high shot over the defense that snuck inside the crossbard for a 7-1 Phoenix advantage.

 

Blank finished off the scoring in the 81^st minute. Jack Edwards found the junior streaking down the right side of the box and finished from eight yards out past the sliding defense to give Elon its highest scoring output since 1989 as Elon closed the match with its 8-1 victory.

 

Notes

• Bronte's hat trick was the Phoenix's first since Tuki Tayali also scored three goals versus Northeastern last season. This is also the third straight year that an Elon player has netted a hat trick starting with Elijah Agu's effort versus St. Bonaventure in 2016.

• Elon's eight goals was its highest-scoring effort since posting an 8-2 victory at Gardner-Webb on Oct. 2, 1989. It ties for the third-highest single-game in school history.

• Matthew Jegier played just over 74 minutes in goal for the Phoenix before he was relieved by redshirt sophomore Sam Loeffler for the final 15 minutes. Seeing his first collegiate action, Loeffler had one save on the night.

• Elon outshot the Scarlet Knights, 15-11, with an 8-6 advantage in the second half. The Phoenix put 12 of those shots on target compared to two for Rutgers.

• This match was only the second-ever contest for Elon against a current team of the Big Ten conference. The Phoenix previous faced Ohio State in 2014 in Wilmington, N.C.

 

Up Next

Elon returns to the pitch on Saturday, Sept. 8, playing at Triad rival High Point. First touch is set for 7 p.m.

 

-- ELON --