Box Score

WILMINGTON, N.C. – Senior Brittany Hallberg’s overtime goal in the 116th minute lifted the Elon women’s soccer team to a 2-1 victory over the Gardner-Webb Bulldogs in the first game of the UNCW Hilton Garden Inn Invitational on Friday evening. Hallberg slid a shot past Bulldog goalkeeper Erika Lenns from about 10 yards out into the far corner of the net to secure the win for the Phoenix (2-1). Gardner-Webb dropped to 2-1-1 on the young season.

“At times, we played really well and we continue to do things with movement that we haven’t done before so that is a positive,” commented Elon head coach Chris Neal. “We are just not finishing enough opportunities off the possession we are getting. If you let teams hang around, anything can happen. We are a very young team and we can take lessons from this game.”

Elon held a 1-0 advantage after an early score by midfielder Alanna Winsper in the 16th minute of action. Rookie Kimmie Krauss gained possession of the ball at the far post where she touched it back to Winsper in the middle of the box. Winsper one-touched a left-footed shot inside the right corner of the net to put the Phoenix on top.

It looked as though Elon would take the victory in regulation, before an own goal at 88:07 tied the game and forced extra time. Late in the second overtime, a service from the right side of the field found Winsper in the box. The senior played the ball back to Hallberg who sprinted on it and drilled the shot into the left corner of the goal. The score was Hallberg’s second of the season.

Gardner-Webb held a 6-5 edge in shots and Elon took three corner kicks compared to two by the Bulldogs. Phoenix sophomore goalie Kristen Haney made three saves in the victory.

Elon will be back in action against Coastal Carolina on Sunday, September 5 for the teams’ second game of the UNCW Invitational. The game is set to kick at 11 a.m.