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ELON, N.C. – With a crowd of 10,883 on hand for Family Weekend, Elon University kicker Adam Shreiner drilled a 33-yard field goal through the uprights in overtime to lift the Phoenix to an 18-15 win over the visiting Bulldogs from The Citadel in the Southern Conference opener for the Phoenix on Saturday afternoon at Rhodes Stadium.

After the Phoenix (3-1, 1-0) missed wide right on a 44-yard field goal attempt with four seconds remaining in the fourth quarter following a fumble by The Citadel (1-2, 0-2), Elon quarterback Thomas Wilson put Shreiner within range in OT after three straight rushes up the middle gave his kicker another shot from the right hash from 33-yards out.  As the ball sailed between the uprights, the fourth-largest crowd in Rhodes Stadium history erupted.

Following Shreiner’s boot to give Elon a three-point edge, 18-15, the Bulldogs ran three plays and kicker Ryan Sellers attempted to tie the game from 37 yards away. But the red-shirt senior’s kick sailed right and the Phoenix escaped with the OT win, the team’s first extra-session game since last year’s matchup at Richmond on Sept. 18. Shreiner made 4-of-6 field goals on the afternoon, including a game-long 36-yard boot in the fourth quarter to knot the game at 15-all with 10:55 to play.

"The thing I was proud of, the team just kept fighting and fighting and fighting," said Elon head coach Jason Swepson.  "We missed a couple of field goals, but we still had faith in that unit.

"We’ve got a lot of work to do, but we’ve got a young team.  You’ve got to give The Citadel tremendous credit.  Their defense played outstanding.  But overall we hung in there and found a way to win."

Receiver Aaron Mellette just missed another 100-yard receiving game, as the Sanford, N.C., native finished with six grabs for 97 yards and a touchdown. Wilson connected with Mellette on a 41-yard score with 12:55 remaining in the third quarter to give the Phoenix a 12-7 lead.

Wilson completed 26-of-39 passes for 283 yards, one touchdown and an interception in the victory.

Wide receiver Jeremy Peterson, in his first game of the year, led all receivers with a career-high nine catches for 88 yards in the win.

The Citadel’s Darien Robinson rushed for 103 yards on 13 carries, including a 67-yard touchdown run in the second quarter to give the Bulldogs a 7-6 advantage with 1:42 to play.

The first quarter featured missed field goals by both teams and the second quarter began with the game still scoreless. Elon kept a mid-second quarter drive alive on third-and-nine when Wilson found an open Christian Dennis for a completion of 16 yards to the Bulldogs’ 46.  The next play picked up 19 more yards when Wilson found Mellette.  Elon converted a third down chance when Wilson teamed up with Dennis for a gain of eight to The Citadel 14.  On third-and-three, Wilson’s pass into the end zone was incomplete, but Shreiner drove home the 25-yard field goal that gave the Phoenix a 3-0 lead with 6:46 remaining in the first half.

Elon added to its totals shortly after. On a second-and-10 from The Citadel 41, Elon’s #A.J. Harris# eluded multiple defenders before finally being brought down at the six by Austin Boyle’s touchdown-saving tackle.  The Phoenix got to the two on a pass from Wilson to Peterson, but Elon had to settle for a 19-yard Shreiner field goal to stretch its edge to 6-0 with 2:36 left in the first half.

The Citadel quickly erased its deficit on the ensuing drive when Robinson raced 67 yards for the first Bulldog touchdown. The PAT gave the Bulldogs a 7-6 lead with 1:42 remaining.

The Phoenix held the edge in total offensive yards over the first 30 minutes of play, 244-159, but two Elon turnovers inside Bulldog territory put an abrupt end to drives.

Following a 25-yard kickoff return by David Wood, the Phoenix started the third quarter at its own 36-yard line.  An 11-yard run and another 11-yard catch by Harris moved the Phoenix down the field. Wilson went deep on the next play and hit a streaking Mellette down The Citadel sideline for a 41-yard catch-and-run for the go-ahead touchdown as Elon built a 12-7 lead with 12:55 to play in the third quarter.  Elon failed to make it a seven-point game when its two-point conversion attempt failed.

The Citadel took possession at the Elon 43 with 3:32 left in the third quarter after an 18-yard punt that was partially blocked by Domonic Jones. Elon forced a fourth-and-inches before Dupree moved the sticks with a two-yard plunge up the middle to end the third quarter.  The Citadel moved the chains again and had first-and-goal from the 10 before Rickey Anderson took the pitch to the right side and, while under pressure, lofted a pass to Kevin Hardy in the back corner of the end zone for a 10-yard touchdown pass. The Citadel’s two-point conversion was good as Dupree hit Dalton Trevino in the front left of the end zone and the Bulldogs built a 15-12 lead with 13:52 to play in the game.

Elon responded with a seven-play, 55-yard drive to tie the game. Wilson started things off with a seven-yard pass to Andre Labinowicz before hitting Peterson for a 20-yard gain to The Citadel 47.  Jamal Shuman took the handoff on the next snap and raced 27 yards to the Bulldogs’ 20 before being forced out of bounds. On third-and-11, Wilson was forced to run and the quarterback gained two yards. Shreiner came on for a 36-yard game-tying field goal with 10:55 left on the clock.

For the second straight week, the Elon defense came up big.  The Phoenix totaled eight tackles for a loss, including two sacks, and was led by Blake Thompson's career-high 13 tackles.  Through four games, the Elon defense has notched nine sacks after producing 13 a year ago.

The Phoenix remains at home again next weekend when it welcomes in top-ranked Georgia Southern for a 1:30 p.m. kick.