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Talia Feigin goal celebration vs. VCU
Brad Puckett
Talia Feigin scored the first of four Elon goals against VCU off a free kick.
1
VCU VCU (0-1-0, 0-0-0)
4
Winner Elon ELON (1-0-0, 0-0-0)
VCU VCU
(0-1-0, 0-0-0)
1
Final
4
Elon ELON
(1-0-0, 0-0-0)
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
VCU VCU 1 0 1
Elon ELON 2 2 4

Game Recap: Women's Soccer | | Elon Athletics

Elon Nets Four Goals In Opening Night Win

Phoenix Extends Unbeaten Streak In Season Openers

ELON – The Elon women's soccer team (1-0) kickstarted its 2026 campaign by netting four goals Thursday night in a 4-1 victory against VCU (0-1) in its season opener at Rudd Field. 

Ava Hellner scored two of the four goals, including the game-winning tally in the first half off an assist from fellow fifth-year Isa Murdock. Talia Feigin scored Elon's first goal of the season with freshman Nicole Kleyner notching the first goal of her career in the second half.

Naomi Person made her first career start in goal, recording a pair of saves. In total, 19 Phoenix saw action on the night.

The Phoenix is now unbeaten in its last 16 season openers, a streak that began in 2011. With the win, Elon improves to 7-0-2 in opening games under head coach Neil Payne.
 


How It Happened
  • After applying early offensive pressure, Elon earned a free kick in the ninth minute from just outside the left corner of the 18-yard box. Feigin kicked the ball toward the top-right corner of the goal, curling it past VCU's goalkeeper to notch Elon's first goal of the campaign.
  • In the 20th minute, Murdock created another chance for the Phoenix with a run down the right sideline. She placed a cross onto the foot of a charging Hellner, who nudged the ball into the net with her right foot to give Elon a 2-0 lead.
  • Person made a pair of key saves late in the half to keep the Rams off the scoreboard, but VCU finally converted on a chance in the 40th minute to cut Elon's advantage to 2-1 at halftime.  
  • The Phoenix got that goal back quickly in the second half, with Murdock again spearheading the attack. After making a run down the left sideline, Murdock sent a cross into the box that deflected off a VCU defender and onto the foot of Kleyner. The freshman rolled the goal past a lunging goalie for her first career tally.
  • In the 64th minute, Hellner drew a foul in the box to earn a penalty kick. She went left on the penalty kick to secure her second goal of the night and put the Phoenix up 4-1.
  • The Phoenix held VCU to just one shot attempt after the second Hellner goal to lock up the three-goal triumph.
 
Notable Numbers
  • The four goals were the most by Elon in a season opener since 2018, when the Phoenix defeated Liberty 5-4 on opening day.
  • Elon scored four goals for the second straight season in its Rudd opener after also netting four in a 4-0 win against VMI a season ago. The Phoenix had previously not scored that many goals in a home opener since 2002.
  • Hellner's brace secured her first career multi-goal game with the Phoenix. She is the first Elon player to score multiple goals in a season opener since 2023, when Gabby Hoschek netted a pair against Howard.
  • Feigin's goal was her second in her second season with the Phoenix. The senior attempted five shots in her 71 minutes of action.
  • Kleyner became the first Phoenix to score in her college debut since Hoschek and Lauren McCauley both did so against Howard in 2023. The freshman midfielder logged 51 reserve minutes and attempted a pair of shots.
  • Murdock's assist was the 10th of her Elon career. The redshirt senior took a game-high six shots, with two forcing saves by the VCU goalkeeper.
  • Elon outshot VCU 24-5 on the night. The 24 shots were the most by the Phoenix in a game since also registering 24 in last year's 120-minute CAA Tournament semifinal against UNCW.
  • Eight different Phoenix attempted a shot, with six taking multiple shots.
  • Megan Dwyer, Jessica Hill and Alexis Pierce all went the full distance on Elon's back line. Murdock (87) and Jordan Green (85) also went 80-plus minutes in the field.
  • Person made the first saves of her career in her first ever start. It was just Person's second career appearance, with the other coming last season against South Carolina State when she split a clean sheet with Anna Hamner after playing the full second half.  
  • Gabby Tirado started in her Elon debut, playing 68 minutes and attempting four shots in Elon's midfield. Kleyner and Alexis Gordon also saw the field in their first match with the Phoenix.
  • In addition to extending its unbeaten streak in season openers to 16, Elon continued its unbeaten stretch in regular season nonconference matches, which now stands at 15 in a row. The Phoenix has not lost a regular season match to a nonconference opponent since 2023.
  • The win was Elon's first in five matches against VCU after the teams tied in each of their first four encounters, including in last year's season opener. 
 
Up Next
Elon returns to the pitch on Aug. 20, kicking off a three-match road stretch against South Carolina State. The contest is slated to start at 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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