ELON – Two first-half goals in 21 seconds from junior
Grace Gelhaus fueled a 4-0 victory for the Elon University women's soccer team (1-0-1) Sunday night in its home opener against VMI (0-2-0) at Rudd Field.
Gelhaus scored Elon's first goal of the contest in the 25th minute before adding another just 21 seconds later. It was her second career game with multiple goals and first since 2023.
Lauren McCauley and freshman
Abby Brinker added second-half goals to extend the winning margin to four, with seven Elon players finishing the night with either a goal or an assist.
The victory extended Elon's unbeaten streak in home openers to 15, dating back to the 2010 season. The clean sheet was Elon's eighth straight in a home opener.
How It Happened
- Elon controlled the opening 20 minutes of play, firing seven shots, including one on target from freshman Lilly McFadden in her first career start.
- Gelhaus broke the scoreless tie in the 26th minute on a give-and-go with Gabby Hoschek. After feeding Hoschek, Gelhaus got the ball back, dribbled through VMI's backline and beat the goalkeeper for her first tally of the season.
- Just 21 seconds after her first goal, Gelhaus struck again to double Elon's lead. McFadden started the break and found Isa Murdock, who sent a one-touch pass to a sprinting Gelhaus, who alluded the goalie with a dribble to the left before burying the ball into a wide-open net.
- Elon scored again in the 60th minute to make the score 3-0. After getting the ball from Ashlee Brehio, Gia Milano served a cross from the right side of the box that deflected off VMI's goalie and found Lauren McCauley in front of the net. With her back to the goal, McCauley converted on a successful bicycle kick for her first marker of the campaign.
- Brinker made it 4-0 for the Phoenix with her first career goal in the 82nd minute. Brehio lifted a corner kick into the box that Brinker headed out of the air into the top left corner of the goal.
- Elon secured its clean sheet and first victory of the season with eight shutout minutes to close the game.
Notes & Numbers
- Gelhaus became the first Elon player to record a brace since Lydia Totten last September against Hampton. It was the first time for Gelhaus scoring multiple goals since she recorded a hat trick against Hampton in 2023.
- With two helpers, Brehio posted her second career multi-assist effort. She finished one assist shy of her career best (3), which came in 2023 versus Hampton.
- Four other Elon players finished the night with an assist – Hoschek, McFadden, Milano and Murdock. It was McFadden's first career assist and Milano's first with the Phoenix.
- Elon outshot VMI 26-4 on the night, with 12 of the 26 attempts being on goal.
- Nine Elon players attempted at least one shot. Murdock paced the Phoenix with six shot attempts, while Gelhaus and Talia Feigin attempted four apiece.
- In goal, Katie Bisgrove anchored a clean sheet in goal. The sophomore now has 6.5 career shutouts.
- Including Bisgrove, 22 Phoenix saw action. Isabel DiPrima, Miranda Dumornay, Emma Geha, Charlise Grimes and McFadden all made their Elon debuts.
- Jessica Hill was the lone Phoenix position player to log the full 90 minutes.
- Elon's four goals were the most for the program in a home opener since scoring five against Rider in 2002.
- The Phoenix extended its unbeaten streak over non-conference opponents to eight with the victory.
- Elon is now unbeaten in its last 15 home openers, matching the streak of 15 unbeaten season openers it set on Thursday. The last eight home opening wins have come under head coach Neil Payne.
- Under Payne, Elon has delivered eight consecutive clean sheets in home openers. The last goal scored against the Phoenix in a home opener came in 2017.
Up Next
Elon will host Gardner-Webb on Aug. 24 at Rudd Field. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.
Stay Posted
For further coverage of Elon women's soccer, follow the Phoenix on X (@ElonWSoccer), Instagram (elonwsoccer) and Facebook (Elon Women's Soccer).
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