ELON – Built on patience, pressure and pride, junior defender
Charlie Kitch delivered the decisive blow. His 86th-minute header off a corner delivered by junior midfielder
Martin Kozak sealed a 1-0 victory over UNCW on Senior Night, extending Elon's unbeaten run at Rudd Field and preserving its home defensive record.
The Phoenix outshot the Seahawks 12-7 and capitalized when it mattered most, turning one of five corners into the game-winner. With the result, Elon swept the season series against the Seahawks and stayed atop of the CAA South standings.
Kitch, who entered midway through the second half, said the finish came from a simple adjustment inside the box.
"On the first corners, I was making my runs to the back post, and it was pretty far from the ball," Kitch said. "This time, I centered myself in the middle of the box and let it come down to me. Honestly, I didn't even know I scored. I landed backward, and then all my teammates were just yelling and jumping around."
The moment highlighted Elon's commitment to detail on set pieces, a strength that has carried throughout the fall.
"We practice every day before a match, so we get a lot of reps," Kitch said. "At that point, it's how bad you want it in the game. We wanted it more tonight."
The first half offered little rhythm but plenty of resilience. Wilmington outshot Elon 6-1 before the break, but senior defender Carlos Levy and senior captain
Majaliwa Msabaha led a composed defensive effort. UNCW was limited to two second-half shots and none on frame, while graduate student goalkeeper
Jackson Leavitt secured his eighth clean sheet of the season behind a disciplined back line.
For senior defender Sumner Nenninger, that defensive standard is built on trust.
"The players I have on my team — Magnus, Charlie, Carlos, Connor, Weston — they all have my back when I go forward," Nenninger said. "It's easy to take that kind of risk knowing those guys are saving me if I mess up and make mistakes."
Saturday's match also served as a farewell for seven seniors who have anchored Elon's recent success. The stands were filled with families and alumni as the team honored the group's impact. Nenninger called the occasion emotional but rewarding.
"The seniors here have put a ton into this program," Nenninger said. "We've been here for a long time and put in a lot of work, whether playing or not. It felt really good to be out there with my teammates and my seniors."
The Phoenix's consistency at home stems from competition. Elon is yet to concede a goal in seven home matches this season, each resulting in a win or draw.
"We're all really good, so we push each other every day in training," Kitch said. "We have really good players back there, and it just adds up in-game. I'm not surprised by any of it."
That mentality has translated into late-season composure. With the conference stretch closing, the group remains grounded and unified.
"We've got a week of training to prepare and watch film. Nothing really changes," Kitch said.
"We're a close group, a good group of guys, and we have to keep that bond," Nenninger added.
Elon travels to Charleston this Saturday at 1 p.m. as the team looks to continue the regular season unbeaten in conference play.
'Rising Phoenix' is a student-led initiative to cover Elon Athletics. Through innovative content creation and storytelling, Elon University students will have the opportunity to highlight the moments, people and events that make an impact, leveraging the athletic department's various web and social media platforms for distribution. Follow Rising Phoenix on X (@EURisingPhoenix) and Instagram (@elonrisingphoenix). Interested in joining this initiative as a content creator (video, graphics, writing, storytelling, or more)? Contact Sydney Spencer at sspencer9@elon.edu.
--ELON--
