Elon, N.C.- The Elon Phoenix (1-4-3) and UNCW Seahawks (3-5-1) battled to a 1-1 draw Thursday night. Elon took advantage of the UNCW defense when a low cross from Grace Gelhaus found the cleat of a UNCW defender that would end up in the back of the net.
 
Gelhaus had her best game as a young Phoenix, with the Connecticut native collecting a season high in shots, shots on goal and minutes. Anna Hamner played the first full 90 minutes of her career and collected a save.
 
Elon collected their first point in the CAA table with the first three games, having faced off against three teams who have made the CAA Tournament semifinals in the past two years. This is Elon's first positive result against UNCW since the 2020-21 CAA Tournament title game.
 
 
How It Happened
 

• The two teams began with a midfield battle to start the game. The first shot would come 10 minutes into the game with a shot from Viktoria Hankova was blocked by the Elon defense.
• The game's first shot on goal came from Grace Gelhaus with an outside-the-box effort ending up in the gloves of Hanna Wise.
• The game's first goal came in the 42^nd minute when Gelhaus raced towards the left end line and fired a cross low, into the box. The ball would deflect off a UCNW defender and into the back of the net.
• The Phoenix would come out strong in the second half looking for goal number two. A longshot effort from Emilia Cappellett just cleared the crossbar, and a shot by Gelhaus hit the left post.
• Wise would come up big for UNCW when she held onto a low shot from Kelly Degnan that was kept just out of the net.
• The Seahawks would answer in the 85^th minute when Kayla Burrough's shot went screaming for the bottom corner when Hamner pulled out her first save. On the rebound Issy Bryant would take the rebound and stick it in to tie up the score with just over five minutes to play.
• Neither team would record a shot following the game-tying goal and the game would end in a one goal tie.

 
Notes and Stats
 
 

• Elon now trails the all-time series with UNCW 2-15-2.
• Both wins and draws for the Phoenix in the series have come against former Elon skipper Chris Neal.
• Grace Gelhaus recorded three shots, the most of her career, and played all 90 minutes for the Phoenix.
• Anna Hamner played a complete game in net for the first time in her Elon career. The 90 minutes also saw Hamner make her second save of the season.
• In games this season, the Phoenix and their opponents have seen four shots be deflected and end up in the back of the net while there have been three own goals as well.
• The Phoenix secured their first point of the season in the CAA table.
• Katie Lowe returned to playing the full 90 minutes since only playing 87 in the previous Elon matchup with Northeastern.
• Emilia Cappellett registered her first shot of the season against the Seahawks, and also played 90 minutes for the first time since Elon's battle with Drexel last season.

 
Up Next
 

• The Phoenix will enter a tough stretch of games all within the next week. Elon will first visit William & Mary with a Sunday matinee kickoff time of 1:00 P.M.