ELON, N.C. ­– The Elon University volleyball team lost to College of Charleston on Saturday, as the Cougars defeated the Phoenix 3-1 (25-20, 25-19, 23-25, 25-20) at Schar Center. 
 
"Credit goes to College of Charleston," head coach Mary Tendler said. "They played a very good match both offensively and defensively. We fought back after being down 0-2 but needed to execute better to force a fifth set." 

With the loss, Elon falls to 7-12 overall and 4-5 in the league standings. College Charleston improves to 10-12 overall and 5-4 in conference play. 
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Elon got off to a strong start in the opening set, as five kills by Leah Daniel and three by Brooke Doherty propelled the Phoenix to a 14-9 advantage. However, Charleston responded by winning 12 of the next 14 points to go ahead 21-16. The maroon and gold erased a pair of set points but dropped the third as the Cougars clinched a 25-20 win. 
• Down 13-9 in the second set, Elon went on a 4-0 run to tie the score thanks to kills by Daniel, Doherty and Sydney Love and a Daniel ace. Charleston retook the lead at 15-14 and led the rest of the way. A late 5-0 run gave the Cougars their largest advantage of the frame, as they went on to win the set 25-19. 
• The Phoenix raced out to a 10-4 lead early in the third set. Charleston got within one point at 13-12 but Elon took 11 of the next 17 to set up a bevy of set points. The Cougars staved off five of them, but the maroon and gold converted the sixth on a kill by Haylie Clark to win the set 25-23.  
• Charleston went ahead 10-5 in the fourth, but Elon chipped away at the deficit throughout the set. A Love kill brought the Phoenix within one at 18-17 but Elon did not get any closer, as the Cougars finished on a 7-3 run to take the set 25-20, clinching the match. 

NOTES

• Leah Daniel paced the Phoenix with a team-high 18 kills on 47 attacks. It is the second-most kills in a match for Daniel this season, who registered her season-best of 21 against VCU on Aug. 27. 
• Freshman Brooke Doherty posted double-digit kills for the second time in her career, as the Holly Springs, N.C., native finished with 10. It is the first time Doherty has reached double-digit kills since she posted a career-high 12 on Sept. 9 against Florida A&M. 
• Claire Richey registered a career-high nine kills in her second start of the season. She also attempted a career-high 19 attacks. 
• Haylie Clark racked up 37 assists, seven digs, seven kills, three blocks and three aces. The senior has tallied double-digit assists in every match this season and has eclipsed 30 assists in 11 of Elon's 19 matches. The Saint Cloud Fla., native also has at least five kills in three consecutive matches, her longest such streak since she posted five plus kills in eight straight contests during the 2021 spring season. 
• Jordan Gower picked up 19 digs to lead the maroon and gold. The senior has double-digit digs in all her appearances this season. 
• For the fourth straight match, Alex VanWestrienen reached double-digit digs, as the senior had 10 against the Cougars. This is the longest streak of double-digit digs in VanWestrienen's career. After reaching double-digits in three of Elon's first 12 matches, she has hit the mark in five of the last seven contests. 
• As a team, Elon outpaced College of Charleston in kills (57-56) and aces (5-4). The Cougars led the Phoenix in blocks (16-15) and digs (60-56).
• With the loss, Elon falls to 5-33 all-time against College of Charleston and 0-13 against the Cougars in home matches. 

UP NEXT
The Phoenix looks to earn a weekend split with College of Charleston on Sunday. The match is scheduled to start at 2 p.m.