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Aaron Mellette vs. Wofford

Football

Mellette's Two TDs Not Enough as #5 Wofford Defeats Phoenix

Box Score Photo Gallery

Radio Highlights
Aaron Mellette Touchdown #1
Aaron Mellette Touchdown #2
Aaron Mellette 100-yard game
Odell Benton Interception
Jason Swepson Postgame Interview


ELON, N.C. -- The Elon University football team rallied from an early deficit to pull within two touchdowns in the third quarter, but could not match fifth-ranked Wofford's offensive attack, as the Phoenix dropped a 49-24 decision to the Terriers on Saturday, Sept. 29, at Rhodes Stadium.

Elon dropped to 2-3 (0-2 Southern Conference) while Wofford improved to 4-0 (2-0 Southern Conference) with the win.

Aaron Mellette found the end zone twice on the afternoon and finished the game with 13 grabs for 177 yards. The 100-yard receiving game was the 17th of Mellette's career, moving him into a tie for second in conference history.  Mellette's two touchdown grabs upped his career total to 33, moving him past Appalachian State's Brian Quick into third place in SoCon record book.

Thomas Wilson completed 31-of-47 passes for 322 yards and two touchdowns against Wofford, his sixth career game with 300 or more yards.

Wofford's Eric Breitenstein set a Southern Conference single-game record with 321 rushing yards on 27 carries.

Despite heavy rain for most of the game, today's attendance of 10,302 ranks as the fifth-best crowd for a Family Weekend game in Rhodes Stadium history.

"That's a good football team and they deserve their ranking," said Elon coach Jason Swepson.  "They (Wofford) were determined, and for some reason we came out flat.  We have to clean some things up.  We have to get back to playing physical football."

Wofford got on the board first after they forced an Elon fumble on third-and-one and then quickly turned it into a score as Donovan Johnson took the pitch on the first play of the drive and went in for a 32-yard touchdown run.

The Phoenix answered right back, marching 54 yards on eight plays, including completions of 13 and 21 yards to Mellette, before Adam Shreiner drilled a 35-yard field goal to make it a 7-3 game with 10:21 still to play in the first quarter.

With Wofford leading 21-3 late in the first half, Elon drove 75 yards on eight plays to pull within 21-10 when Wilson bought time in the pocket before finding Mellette for a seven-yard touchdown pass with 2:09 to play in the period.  Wilson completed four of his five passes on the drive and also scrambled for an 11-yard gain on the possession.

The Terriers got the ball back and went 79 yards on seven plays to take a 28-10 lead into the half after a 19-yard TD run by Breitenstein.

Elon fell behind 35-10 before driving 91 yards for a score.  The Phoenix faced a third-and-eight from its own 31 when Wilson connected with Mellette for 24 yards.  Wilson went back to Mellette on third-and-eight from the Wofford 43 and picked up another 14 yards.  After reaching the Terriers' 15, Mellette made an acrobatic grab of a ball that bounced off of two different players for his second touchdown of the game.  The Phoenix converted the two-point conversion with a toss to Chris Harris to make it a 35-18 contest.

The Phoenix pulled within two touchdowns with 1:04 remaining in the third quarter after Shreiner connected on a 43-yard field goal to make it a 35-21 game.

But the Terriers answered with back-to-back drives that ended in touchdowns by Brian Kass to eventually take a 49-21 advantage with 8:04 remaining in the game.

Shriener booted his final field goal, a 32-yarder, to provide the final margin.

Elon will pay a visit to Appalachian State for a 3:30 p.m. contest next Saturday afternoon.

-- ELON --
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