Elon, N.C.- The Elon Phoenix (2-0) return to the pitch for their first road test against the Wofford Terriers (1-3). The Phoenix looks to make it two wins in a row against the Terriers in back-to-back years following a 3-0 win against the Terriers at Rudd Field in 2023.
 
Kickoff from Spartanburg, S.C. will be at 6 pm.
 
The Phoenix looks to make it three wins from three games Sunday night following a 1-0 win over Queens (NC) last Sunday. Isa Murdock secured the game's only goal to give the Phoenix the win.
 
How to Follow

• Sunday's game with Wofford will be streamed on ESPN+, and you can watch the game by CLICKING HERE.
• Live stats will be available for the matchup with the Terriers and will be available by CLICKING HERE.
• Live updates will be available on both X and Instagram during the match @ElonWSoccer.

 
The All-Time Series

• Elon leads the all-time series against the Terriers, 7-6-1.
• The Phoenix and Terriers met every season while the two were both members of the Southern Conference until 2014.
• The last matchup was in 2023 when Elon prevailed in their home opener, 3-0. Gabby Hoschek, Rachel Buckle, and Ashlee Brehio all scored in the win.

 
Last Time Out

• Elon defeated Queens, 1-0, following a second half strike from Isa Murdock to give Elon their second straight win to begin the year.
• The Phoenix started off strong with the first attack resulting in the first shot, coming Elon started fast with an effort from Lydia Totten in the first minute to threaten early.
• The first shot on goal came from Kennedy Jones inside three minutes which drew a save from the Queens keeper.
• After four corner kicks, the Phoenix registered another shot on goal from Isa Murdock but was again snuffed out by the goalkeeper.
• Shots came from Murdock and Totten within two minutes, both found the target but not the back of the net.
• Ashlee Brehio registered her first shot of the night just before the halftime whistle blew and the scoreboard showed 0-0 at the break.
• The Phoenix continued to pepper the net at the beginning of the second half with Ava Hellner putting a good chance just wide of the target from a corner kick.
• Queens was able to register a few shots a shot on target, but Katie Bisgrove was able to snuff out the attempt.
• Elon was able to break through in the 71^st minute when Murdock found the back of the net after cutting in on her right foot and bent a shot into the far corner to give Elon the lead.
• Following the Murdock goal, Elon was able to see the rest of the game out with no attempts coming from the Royals in the final 20 minutes.

 
Preseason All-Conference

• Sophomore forward Grace Gelhaus and graduate defender Katie Lowe were both selected to the Preseason All-CAA team honorable mention, released by the conference last Wednesday.
• Gelhaus is awarded the honor following two post-season honors last season with Katie Lowe receiving her third preseason All-CAA nod.  Dalfonso was one of three goalkeepers named to the preseason list and Jones joins her sister Carson as the only Phoenix sisters to both receive all-conference selections.
• Grace Gelhaus is coming off one of the best freshman seasons in recent Elon history. Gelhaus was selected to the All-Rookie team as well as All-CAA Third Team by the coaches last season. Gelhaus tied for the team lead in points (12)  and led the Phoenix in assists (4). She finished second among CAA freshmen last season in points and tied for the conference lead in assists among first-years.
• Katie Lowe returns to the preseason All-CAA list for the third time in five years. The graduate student was selected during the 2021 season following an All-CAA Rookie Team selection and Elon's first CAA Tournament title in 2020. Lowe enters her fifth year having made 59 starts in 61 career games and serving as an integral part of Elon's backline.

 
About the Phoenix

• The Phoenix returns its top 10 point producers from a season ago including all four double-digit point players: Grace Gelhaus, Lydia Totten, Ashlee Brehio, and Gabby Hoschek.
• The Phoenix returns six players who made at least ten starts a season ago including three key midfielders: Rachel Buckle, Kennedy Jones and Hoschek.  
• Forward Isa Murdock makes her return to the lineup following a redshirted season in 2023. During her first campaign, the Colorado native finished with three goals and two assists.
• Elon's active leading goal scorer Ashlee Brehio following her four-goal season a year ago returns as well. Brehio who was selected to TopDrawer Top 100 Freshman List for her efforts as a first year.
• Elon was projected to finish 11th in the CAA preseason poll.
• In three of the past five seasons, the Phoenix have exceeded preseason predictions. Not only winning the CAA title in 2020-21, but in 2019 when the Phoenix were predicted to finish ninth and reached the CAA Tournament semifinals.
• Phoenix head coach Neil Payne enters his seventh season with Elon. Payne enters the season eight wins away from 50 in his head coaching career with the Phoenix.

 
Scouting Wofford
 

• Wofford was projected 8^th in the SoCon women's soccer poll released earlier this month.
• Last season, the Terriers finished with a record of 5-11-4. Wofford finished their season with a win in the SoCon Tournament against #9 VMI.
• Millie Murphy leads Wofford in points and goals after a two-goal performance against Presbyterian.
• Elissa Post is in her second season leading the Terriers.

 
Youth Movement

• Coach Payne and coach Sean Sandoval brought in another strong recruiting class featuring seven players from around the US and Canada. The class features two goalkeepers, a pair of defenders, two midfielders and a forward.
• 7 of the 28 members are first years while 16 of the members of the squad are still underclassman.
• Two of the sophomores happen to be twins, Maya and Jenna Abousaab. The Abousaab twins are one of just 22 pairs of twins in NCAA Division I women's soccer.
• The class of 2027 features two local Raleigh products in Iliana Pardo and Gabby Hoschek. Pardo hailing from Leesville Road High School has represented the Puerto Rican U-20 women's national team. Hoschek started every match for her USL W-League team, Wake FC, tallying four goals and two assists last summer.

 
Payne Adds to Staff

• Elon University women's soccer head coach Neil Payne announced two new additions to its coaching staff earlier this week. Clifton Bush and Jenifer Thomas will both join the staff of the women's soccer program for their upcoming season. 
• Clifton Bush joins the staff after serving as an assistant coach at Bellarmine University in Louisville. Bush has coached both at the collegiate and professional level following a four-year stint in the NWSL. Bush comes to Elon with North Carolina roots, having been the head coach at UNC Asheville from 2019-21. Bush was also an assistant with the Bulldogs for two seasons, working primarily with the goalkeepers.
•  Thomas joins the staff following a stint as youth coach at Real Colorado. She has been at the club since 2010, working with the ECNL and Athletico/Olympico teams. In 2017, she helped lead the U15 Real Colorado Olympico team to the US Youth Soccer National Championships. Thomas strengthens the Colorado connection, joining head coach Neil Payne and Sean Sandoval who both spent time at the club.

 
Colorado Connection

• For over a decade, Head Coach Neil Payne was the technical director for Real Colorado SC and has kept strong ties with the club. Payne has created a recruiting pipeline for the Phoenix and this year's roster is ripe with Colorado talent.
• A pair of players come directly from the Real Colorado system with two forwards representing the club. Both senior Lydia Totten and redshirt-sophomore Isa Murdock both come from the club. 
• Another Colorado native is redshirt-freshman Ava Werner, who spent her time with the Colorado Rush on the Girl's Academy circuit. Werner hails from Boulder, Colo.
• Most recently, the Phoenix announced an addition to the coaching staff in Jen Thomas. A former standout at Texas Tech and the University of Kansas, Thomas spent time as a youth coach with Real Colorado. She joins Sean Sandoval as the second assistant coach to showcase youth ties with the club.