BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. — Ashlee Brehio broke a scoreless tie with her second goal in as many matches in the 60th minute, and the Elon women's soccer team beat Gardner-Webb 2-0 in its first road game of the season on Thursday.
 
With the shutout, the Phoenix improves to 3-2-1. The Runnin' Bulldogs fall to 3-3-1.
 
THE RUNDOWN

• Gardner-Webb's best scoring chance of the match came in just the third minute, as the Runnin' Bulldogs drew a free kick from just outside the penalty box. Maddie Turlington fired a shot toward the right post that looked like it might sneak into the net, but McKenna Dalfonso made a diving save to keep the score tied at 0.
• Elon generated several scoring chances in the first half, perhaps none more threatening than in the 24th minute, when the Runnin' Bulldogs' goalkeeper, Chloe Leffler, stopped successive shots by Isa Murdock and Brehio from point-blank range.
• Another thwarted Phoenix scoring opportunity came in the 33rd minute, when Leffler barely got her glove on a Kennedy Jones header and a Gardner-Webb defender subsequently cleared the ball while standing on the end line.
• Elon finally broke through for the first goal of the match in the 60th minute, when Brehio received a pass from Rachel Buckle just outside of the penalty box and floated an off-balance shot into the back of the net.
• Murdock wasted little time tacking on the Phoenix's second goal, scoring in the 71st minute off a cross from Abby Fusca.

NOTES

• Elon's 14 goals are its most through six matches since opening the 2013 season with 17.
• Brehio and Murdock each scored their second goals of the season, putting them in a tie with Fusca and Molly Mahoney for the team lead.
• Fusca's assist on Murdock's goal was her second of the season. The senior leads Elon with six points.
• Buckle's assist marked the first of her career.
• McKenna Dalfonso registered her 15th career shutout, moving her into sole possession for the fifth most in school history.
• With the victory, the Phoenix improved to 15-0 all-time against Gardner-Webb. It has outscored the Runnin' Bulldogs 46-6 in the series. The shutout also marked Elon's ninth against Gardner-Webb, its fourth most against any opponent.

UP NEXT

• Elon will return to Rudd Field on Sunday to face Longwood at 7 p.m.
• The match will serve as Senior Night for the Phoenix, which will honor six seniors (Katrin Hauksdottir, Bethany Harford, Molly Mahoney, Jessica Carrieri, Ally Madigan and Beky Myers) in a ceremony 15 minutes before kickoff.