DURHAM, N.C. — The 90 minutes played against a heavyweight opponent reflected everything this group has worked toward. In its third NCAA Tournament appearance in program history, Elon fell 3-0 to No. 11 Duke last weekend at Koskinen Stadium, closing a season defined by resilience, growth and a postseason run that changes the standard for the program.
To head coach Neil Payne, the night served less as an ending and more as confirmation of the team's progress.
"We came up against a good team," Payne said. "But I'm really proud of my team, the way we performed all season. It wasn't about tonight. It was about the entire season."
After a September stretch where playoff hopes felt uncertain, Elon responded with a nine-match unbeaten run, a road fight through the CAA Tournament and two penalty shootout wins that carried the team to the NCAA stage.
Senior midfielder Ashlee Brehio was central to that push, scoring the game-winner at William & Mary and assisting in the championship match.
"There was a point in the season where we weren't even sure we'd make playoffs," Brehio said. "But we dug in. We didn't give up in the conference final, and we weren't going to give up tonight either. That's been our season from start to finish."
Brehio reached double-digit points for the fourth straight season this fall, but Payne was quick to underline her value beyond numbers.
"She's been a massive part of our success since day one," Payne said. "She won't tell you that. But I will."
Twelve different players scored this season, the most of the Payne era, and rotations remained unpredictable for opponents.
"We don't rely on one player, and that's a strength," Payne said. "If you're scouting us, you don't know who to mark. And everyone plays a part, whether they played 90 minutes tonight or didn't play at all."
Hellner called the experience of playing in an NCAA Tournament game something that changes perspective.
"Playing against a top team gives you confidence," Hellner said. "We all went into this game believing we had a shot. That's important moving forward."
Brehio's message for the returning players next year was simple.
"Attitude," Brehio said. "Come in believing we're the best in the conference because we can be. We've shown that."
A season that nearly slipped away instead became one that rewrote the identity of Elon women's soccer. The team earned its way, fought through every setback and proved they belonged on the national stage.
As Payne looked across his group one final time, he kept his eyes on what comes next.
"They wrote their own chapter," Payne said. "And I'm really excited for what this group can bring next year."
'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.
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