Diego Konincks scores on a header to give Campbell a 1-0 lead.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/Paul Burgett)
BUIES CREEK — Campbell scored three times in a 2:12 span early in the second half Sunday evening and went on to defeat Elon 3-2 in men’s soccer at the Eakes Athletic Complex.
The Camels (6-2-1) won their third straight match behind goals from Diego Konincks (56th minute), Sami Charaf Amal (57th) and Alex Egeonu (58th). Elon (1-5) pulled within one in the final five minutes, but suffered its fifth-consecutive loss.
Campbell entered the contest ranked third nationally in goals per game (2.88) and out-shot the Phoenix 7-1 in the opening half. Only a foot save by Elon keeper Cam Pelle on Owen Mikoy’s shot in the 25th minute kept the game scoreless.
Konincks headed in Matt Lock’s corner kick at the 55:32 mark for the sophomore defender’s first goal in a Camel uniform. Just 45 seconds later, Amal took a pass from Jalen James and launched a left-footed blast from the top of the area to double the advantage.
The flurry continued after only 1:27 elapsed and Tyler Young squared the ball into the box to Egeonu, who scored his first goal of the season.
Camel keeper Samuel Lechuga made an acrobatic save on Mattias Cooper’s effort in the 67th minute, but the Phoenix drew one back a minute later when Jack Edwards ended a scramble in the box with a header that caromed off the right post and in.
Elon cut the gap to one at the 84:49 mark when Jack Dolk sent a corner kick into the area that Jannik Vidabaek headed down and Marco Vesterholm knocked in at the front post.
The Camels finished with a 13-8 edge in shots and took nine corners to seven for the visitors. Lechuga finished with three saves in the Camel nets, while Pelle had one for Elon.
CU improved to 17-1-2 in their last 20 matches at the Eakes Complex, 5-1-0 this season. Sunday’s contest was CU’s final regular season home date, but the Camels would host a Big South Conference semifinal match Apr. 13 if they finish as one of the top two teams in the league standings.
Campbell returns to Big South play Saturday at 1 p.m. at Radford.
(Campbell media services provided the basis for this report)
The Camels celebrate the first goal on Sunday night against Elon.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/Paul Burgett)
Sami Charaf Amal scores the second goal for the Camels.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/Paul Burgett)
Alex Egeonu puts host Campbell ahead, 3-0, on Sunday night.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/Paul Burgett)
Matt Lock takes a shot for the Camels in the first half.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/Paul Burgett)
Samuel Lechuga snares an Elon corner kick in the second half.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/Paul Burgett)
