The Phoenix hit .306 in the match while The Citadel hit .041. The Citadel could not overcome the Elon block as the Phoenix out-blocked the Bulldogs 11-1 with four Elon players recording three blocks in the match.
The Citadel (7-16, 1-9) held close in the first game as the teams exchanged leads twice and tied on five separate occasions. Three consecutive Phoenix kills by Emily Lucci at the 10-9 mark put Elon ahead for good, but the Phoenix did not fully pull away from The Citadel until a 7-0 run put Elon up 29-19 near the end of the game. After a Kim Cooper kill for the Bulldogs, a Gigon and Emily Downing block sealed the 30-20 game for Elon.
Elon (8-11, 5-3) jumped out to a quick 8-0 lead early in the second game. Elon used that early momentum to vault out to a 24-9 lead in the second set before an Emily Hill kill stopped the Phoenix streak. The Bulldogs earned some points back but were unable to finish the rally and Elon closed the game on an ace form Lucci.
After a 12-12 tie in game three, Elon scored the next five points to go ahead 17-12. Elon held onto that lead and closed the game 30-20 on a solo block by Gigon.
Brooke Pickard led the Phoenix with 13 digs while Downing added 10. Natalie Moore tallied 33 assists and nine digs for Elon.
Samantha Parisi led the Bulldogs with nine kills and 14 digs. Ashley Winter posted 13 digs and Rachel Sanders added 11.
Elon returns to action on Sunday in a 2 p.m. match at College of Charleston.
-ELON- Elon/The Citadel Box Score
