Box Score
Box Score

ELON, N.C. – The Elon University women’s soccer team scored four first-half goals and never looked back on Monday afternoon, Sept. 26, as the Phoenix downed the visiting Chattanooga Lady Mocs, 8-2, for its first Southern Conference win of the season.
 
“It was a great performance by our team today against a dangerous Chattanooga team,” said Elon head coach Chris Neal. “We look forward to carrying this momentum into this weekend’s matches.”
 
Elon improves to 3-4-3 (1-0-1) with the win, while Chattanooga falls to 5-3-1 (0-2-0) with the setback.
 
Junior Shannon Foley, sophomore Catherine Brinkman and freshman Marissa Russo all netted two goals each for the Phoenix in the win, while sophomore Kendall Stanley and freshman Kim Gardner both pitched in a score.
 
Rookie Bethany Houpt, who was named SoCon Player of the Week last week, assisted on three goals in the win.
 
Elon’s eight goals today are the most in program history at the Division I level. The last time an Elon team scored eight goals in a game was the 1996 season in an 8-0 win over Greensboro College.
 
Foley gave Elon a 1-0 lead in the seventh minute after Houpt hit her on a cross from the right side deep in the box for the score.
 
The Lady Mocs made it a 1-1 match in the 11th minute when Becca Smith blasted in a free kick from 28 yards out.
 
But the Phoenix took a 4-1 lead into the locker room at intermission after goals from Brinkman in the 19th and 23rd minute and a score from Stanley in the 38th minute of action. All six of Brinkman’s career goals have come in three games, as she scored twice at Furman last year and twice this season against North Florida.
 
Foley netted her second goal of the match to give the Phoenix a 5-1 lead just after the half after sophomore Olivia Mackey hit her on a cross from the left side in the middle of the box for the goal from 15 yards out.
 
After Chattanooga’s Donna-Kay Henry made it a 5-2 game in the 69th minute, Elon answered with back-to-back scores from Russo in the 76th and 77th minutes to take a five-goal advantage, 7-2. Russo connected with Kim Gardner in the 80th minute to make it an 8-2 match, giving Gardner her first collegiate goal.

The Phoenix outshot the Lady Mocs 21-6 in the win, taking a total of 13 shots on goal. Elon claimed a 12-3 advantage in corner kicks in the win.
 
Elon starts a four-match road swing beginning on Friday night, Sept. 30, when the Phoenix takes on Davidson at 7 p.m.