WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — The Elon women's basketball team opened its 2022-23 season on Monday with a 76-56 loss to Wake Forest at Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
 
Evonna McGill led the Phoenix with 13 points on 6-of-10 shooting and hauled in six rebounds. Elon also saw several of its newcomers make immediate contributions, led by Raven Preston (nine points and six rebounds), Regina Walton (seven points) and Chloe Williams (seven points and six rebounds).
 
"I walk away from this game feeling really positive and really good about our team," said head coach Charlotte Smith. "We fought for 40 minutes. I'm impressed with our first-years because they came into the game fearless, were very aggressive and were confident in what they bring to the table. That's going to go along way because it's one thing to be young and inexperienced and it's another thing to be afraid, and they were fearless. So, that gives me a lot of hope and optimism about the youth on our team."
 
THE RUNDOWN

• Elon opened the game with a quick 4-0 spurt courtesy of Lenaejha Evans and Raven Preston, who made a layup and a pair of free throws, respectively, for the first points of their Phoenix careers. Wake Forest, however, responded with a 16-0 run and eventually ended the first quarter with a 21-8 lead. Eleven of the Demon Deacons' points came off six Elon turnovers.
• The second quarter followed a similar script as the first, with the Phoenix scoring the first six points of the period to pull within seven. That's as close as Elon would get, as Wake Forest went on a 12-3 run to eventually enter halftime with a 38-23 lead.
• The Demon Deacons opened the third quarter with a 13-4 run, and although the Phoenix won the fourth 19-18, it couldn't claw its way back.

 
NOTES

• McGill, Ajia James, Preston, Evans and Kamryn Doty started for the Phoenix.
• Preston became the first true freshman to start a season opener for Elon since Maya Johnson on Nov. 9, 2019, against Western Carolina.
• Preston and Doty became the first pair of freshmen to start a season opener for the Phoenix since Saadia Munford and Anna Popovic on Nov. 10, 2017, against Winthrop.
• In addition to Doty, Evans and Preston, Hannah Dereje, Diamond Monroe, Aly Wadkovsky, Walton, Ruby Willard and Williams all made their Elon debuts. Seven of the nine scored, with Preston posting nine points, Walton and Williams each recording seven, Doty tallying six, Evans and Wadkovsky each registering four and Monroe tallying three.
• McGill led Elon in scoring for the third straight game, dating back to last season, and for the 15th time in her Phoenix career.
• After shooting 33.3% (8-for-24) from the field in the first half, the Phoenix shot 42.9% (12-for-28) in the second.
• Wake Forest held a 24-9 edge in points off turnovers and a 32-20 advantage on points in the paint.

 
UP NEXT

• Elon will face another ACC program when it travels to NC State on Thursday. Tipoff is slated for 7 p.m. at Reynolds Coliseum.