Box Score Radio Highlights
Adam Shreiner Field Goal
Michael Pearson Fumble Recovery
Kierre Brown TD Grab
Rasaun Rorie Catch
Tracey Coppedge TD Catch
Jason Swepson Postgame Interview

CHARLESTON, S.C. -- Elon's second-half rally came up just short as the Phoenix found itself on the wrong side of a 38-24 decision at The Citadel in Southern Conference football action from Johnson Hagood Stadium on Saturday afternoon. 

The maroon and gold, which trailed 31-6 at one point, closed to within a touchdown at 31-24 with 8:49 left in the game.  Elon (3-6, 1-5 SoCon) got the ball at the Bulldog 46 with 12:25 remaining in the fourth quarter.  Thomas Wilson completed all six of his passes on the drive, including a six-yard touchdown strike to Tracey Coppedge to trim it to just one score.

The Bulldogs (5-4, 4-3), which had been stuffed for much of the second half, answered with a 14-play, 75-yard drive that ate 6:20 off the clock.  It ended with Darien Robinson going in from three yards out to seal the win for The Citadel who snapped a four-game losing streak to the Phoenix.

"In the first half, we didn't play solid football," said Elon head coach Jason Swepson.  "In the second half, we didn't come out and get a stop (on the first drive).  The good thing is that we have two games left and we're going to try and send these seniors out as winners.  We're just not playing 60 minutes of football.  I don't think I've seen my team quit at all this year.  The game of football comes down to six or seven plays a game, and we're not making those six or seven plays."

Wilson completed a career-high 37 passes and threw for 351 yards and two touchdowns.  Aaron Mellette caught nine passes for 102 yards, but failed to find the end zone for just the second time this season.

The Citadel got the ball to start the game and went 75 yards on just four plays to claim a 7-0 lead when Ben Dupree took it 55 yards for a touchdown.

Elon answered with an eight-play, 62-yard drive that ended with a 25-yard field goal by Adam Shreiner.  The Phoenix had moved into the Bulldogs' red zone when Wilson connected with Rasaun Rorie on a 38-yard pass.  It was the longest reception of Rorie's career.

After both teams exchanged punts, The Citadel extended its edge to 14-3 on a one-yard plunge by Aaron Miller with 3:35 left in the first quarter.  The lead reached 17-3 with 11:05 left in the second quarter when Thomas Wilson's 47-yard field goal slammed off the left upright and managed to bounce over the crossbar.

The Phoenix forced a Bulldog turnover and turned it into three points with 6:25 left in the first half as Shriener hit a 42-yard field goal.

As the first-half clock ticked to 0:00, The Citadel's Miller eluded the rush of Elon's Blake Thompson and hurled a Hail Mary that was grabbed by Matt Thompson at the two.  Thompson then leaped another Phoenix defender to complete the 51-yard touchdown play that gave the Bulldogs a 24-6 lead at the break.

The Bulldogs kept up the ground attack to start the second half.  Three plays after Robinson broke a 60-yard run, Miller took it in for his second rushing TD of the day as Elon's deficit stretched to 31-6.

The Phoenix took advantage of another Bulldog fumble, this one recovered by Michael Pearson at the Citadel's 31, and turned it in to eight points.  The maroon and gold got six when Wilson drilled a pass to Kierre Brown from 20 yards out and then added the two-point conversion with a pass to Jeremy Peterson.  The score made it a 31-14 game with 6:37 to play in the third.

After forcing a Bulldog punt, Elon took possession at its own 39 after a penalty on the punt.  Wilson went deep to Mellette for a 36-yard gain to start the drive before moving to the 16-yard line.  Shreiner came on and kicked his third field goal of the game to pull Elon within two scores at 31-17 with 2:32 left on the third-quarter clock.

Elon will wrap up the home portion of its schedule next Saturday by hosting Samford in a 1:30 p.m. game.