Elon Travels To Monmouth For Crucial CAA Clash – Elon University Athletics

Elon, N.C.- The Elon Phoenix (8-4-1, 4-1 CAA) will hit the road for a crucial, CAA conference clash against the Monmouth Hawks (7-1-5, 3-0-3 CAA) tomorrow night. Elon and Monmouth enter the match with the Hawks tied at the top of the CAA in points (12) with the Phoenix holding a game in hand.
 
Kickoff with the Hawks on Saturday will be at 7 pm.
 
 
How to Follow

• Saturday’s game with the Hawks will be streamed on FloCollege, and you can watch the game by CLICKING HERE.
• Live stats will be available for the matchup with Monmouth and will be available by CLICKING HERE.
• Live updates will be available on both X and Instagram during the match @ElonMSoccer.

 
The All-Time Series

• This will be the 4^th all-time meeting between the Phoenix and the Hawks.
• Elon leads the all-time series against Monmouth, 1-0-2.
• The two last met in the CAA semifinals last season as the two drew 0-0 and Monmouth ultimately won in a penalty shootout.

 
Last Time Out

• The Phoenix fell to the nationally ranked UNCG Spartans earlier this week in Greensboro.   
• UNCG outpaced the Phoenix in the first 10 minutes to the tune of three goals including a penalty kick goal in the ninth minute that proved to be the game winner.
• The Phoenix nearly pulled one back when a shot from outside the box from Scott Vatne ricocheted off the crossbar and out of play.
• UNCG would add a fourth on the counterattack at the end of the first half and go into the half leading by four.
• August Guinle found the back of the net with a curling, right footed effort in the 55^th minute to get a goal back for the Phoenix.
• After Guinle’s goal, the Spartans would see out the match as 4-1 winners.

 
Preseason Praise

• Senior Scott Vatne and graduate Victor Stromsten were both selected to the All-CAA preseason team while junior Majaliwa Msabaha was an honorable mention. Stromsten makes his first appearance on an All-CAA preseason list following his 13-point season in 2023.
• Vatne makes his second straight appearance on the All-CAA preseason team while Msabaha is featured for a second time on the honorable mention list.
• Stromsten returns to the Phoenix for his fifth season at Elon. The forward came on strong at the end of the season up top for the Phoenix, scoring four goals in his final six conference games. Stromsten saw the Phoenix through to the CAA semifinals with a game-winning goal over the number three seeded Stony Brook Sea Wolves.
• Vatne enters his senior season having amassed a list of preseason and post-season honors over the last year. Following an All-CAA First Team and All-Atlantic Region season in 2023, Vatne returns to the midfield following a 12-point season and leading the Phoenix in assists with four.
• Msabaha makes his second honorable mention side after back-to-back All-CAA Third Team selections. The junior captain led the Phoenix last season in the midfield, making 16 starts in 17 games and picking up an assist in Elon’s CAA quarterfinal win.

 
Top Drawer Recognition

• Earlier this season, Elon was ranked in three straight Top Drawer Soccer rankings reaching the top-10 in September.
• Elon has been laced with preseason honors to several players with Scott Vatne and Tomasz Wroblewski being named to the Top Drawer Soccer Preseason Top 100 players list.
• The Phoenix was the lone club in the CAA with multiple players on the Top 100 list with Hofstra being the only other CAA school with a player mentioned.
• This was the first time Elon had two players listed on the preseason list since Elon joined the CAA ten years ago.
• Victor Stromsten was selected to the Top Drawer Soccer National Team of the Week this past week for his performances against both Radford and Coastal Carolina.
• Tomasz Wroblewski was named to the Top Drawer Soccer National Team of the Week after a 13-save performance against Wake Forest.

 
Scouting Monmouth

• Monmouth was picked second in the CAA preseason poll receiving one first-place vote.
• The Hawks had two players selected to the preseason team with Gabe Dahlin and Eryk Dymora both receiving the honor.
• Monmouth enters the match with the Phoenix with a 7-1-5 record and a 3-0-3 record in CAA play.
• Erik Reis leads the Hawks in goals and points with five goals and 13 points. Jakob Friedman leads the team in assists with seven.
• Dymora has started and played in every game making 50 saves and allowing 0.62 goals per game.

 
New Faces Making Impact

• Colin Veltri, Connor Mucchetti, and Charlie Kitch all join the Phoenix after playing elsewhere in the 2023 season.
• Veltri has scored in five straight matches and has secured at least a point in all seven matches. Veltri becomes the first player under Marc Reeves to secure a 15-point season.
• Connnor Mucchetti and Charlie Kitch both secured their first goals as Phoenix in the 5-0 victory against Radford.
• Both Veltri and Mucchetti joined the Phoenix in the spring with Kitch joining Elon this fall.
• Jack Donlan transferred in from Indian Hills Community College. Donlan has been a fixture at the back, securing a full 90 minutes four times so far this season.