Elon and Hofstra won one-goal games Sunday to advance to a rematch in the title game of the CAA Men’s Soccer Championship. 

The Phoenix were a 1-0 winner at home against Drexel, while the Pride came from behind to win 2-1 at UNCW and earn a trip to Elon for the final.

The Phoenix and Pride will meet Sunday at noon in the CAA Championship final at Rudd Field. 

The game can be seen on FloFC.

No. 1 Elon 1, No. 5 Drexel 0

Ben Rosenblatt’s header in the 20th minute helped top-seeded Elon advance to the CAA title game.

The Elon defense withstood a barrage of 20 Drexel shots to secure its 11th shutout of the year and send the Phoenix back to the CAA title game for the second straight season – the first time Elon has accomplished that in its CAA tenure.

Marco Vesterholm sent a cross to outside the far post, where Rosenblatt was waiting to put a line drive header into the back of the net for what stood up as the game-winner.

20' | G⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️AL

BEN ROSENBLATT WITH THE HEADER!!! ?

Goal Assisted by Marco Vesterholm ?.#ELONvDU #CAAChamps pic.twitter.com/XkfO0aLqOY

— Elon Men's Soccer (@ElonMSoccer) November 6, 2022

Drexel would have a series of chances, especially in the closing minutes, but multiple attempts rung off the posts before a corner in the final 10 seconds was punched away by Ryan Bilichuk to preserve the victory.

Drexel outshot Elon in the contest, 20-11, but only put two shots on goal. Four of the Phoenix’s 11 attempts were on frame.

Elon’s shutout was its 11th of the season, which matches the top spot nationally. The Phoenix’s goals-against average improves to 0.529 for the year, which is in the top 5 in the country. 

Elon will play in consecutive conference title games for the first time since the Phoenix won the SoCon title in three straight seasons from 2011-2013.

No. 3 Hofstra 2, No. 2 UNCW 1

Eliot Goldthorp notched a goal and an assist to lift third-seeded Hofstra from an early hole to the CAA Championship final for the third time in four seasons.

Goldthorp assisted on the game-tying goal and scored the game-winner to set up a Saturday's rematch with Elon.

#Hofstra GOAL❗ The Pride take a 2-1 lead on Eliot Goldthorp's nation's leading 15th goal of the season. #PrideOfLI pic.twitter.com/UfAHDsKb2H

— Hofstra Men's Soccer (@HofstraMSOC) November 6, 2022

After an initial shot off a corner ricocheted out, UNCW’s Ethan Newsome corralled it on the edge of the 18’ and settled it, before blasting it into the back of the net for the game’s first goal in the 14th minute.

Hofstra struck back in the 31st minute. A free kick from Goldthorp deflected off a player and toward the goal, where Marcelo Lage put a foot on it to tie the game.

UNCW was down to 10 men with 16 minutes remaining after a red card on a high tackle, and Hofstra capitalized 63 seconds later on a Goldthorp goal off the rebound of an initial shot by Owen Barnett.

Ryan Carmichael put a shot on goal with a minute remaining, and UNCW pushed everyone forward for a last chance, but Carmichael came up with a loose ball and sent it the length of the field to allow the clock to run out.

UNCW outshot Hofstra for the contest, 20-19. Hofstra put 11 shots on goal, with Gabriel Perrotta making nine saves for UNCW. The Pride’s Wessel Speel made six saves.

Hofstra heads to the final for the fourth time in five years. The Pride fell to James Madison in 2018 and 2020-2021, before defeating Elon last season.

Saturday’s rematch of last year’s title game – won 3-2 by Hofstra on Long Island – marks the first time since 2004 and 2005 that the same teams will meet for the conference trophy in back-to-back years. Hofstra defeated Old Dominion by 1-0 margins in both those games.

Saturday will be the 15th time in the last 17 seasons that at least one team outside the tournament’s top two will play for the title. A total of 30 international players will suit up for the match.

Saturday, Nov. 12 – Elon, N.C.
No. 3 Hofstra at No. 1 Elon, noon