ELON – The Elon women's soccer team (1-0) hits the road twice this week for its first away matches of the season. The Phoenix will face South Carolina State (0-1) on Thursday before traveling to NC State (2-0) on Sunday.
Elon at South Carolina State Briefing
Match Details: Aug. 20 | Orangeburg, S.C. | Oliver C. Dawson Stadium | 7 p.m.
Admission: Free
Elon at NC State Briefing
Match Details: Aug. 23 | Raleigh, N.C. | Dail Soccer Field | 7:30 p.m.
Admission: Free
Inside The Matchups
- Elon is 3-0 all-time against South Carolina State. The Phoenix won its only previous trip to Orangeburg, 5-0, in 2015.
- Last season, Elon blanked the Bulldogs 6-0 at Rudd Field to set a program record with its seventh consecutive shutout. Five different Phoenix scored with Naomi Person playing the second half in goal to secure the clean sheet.
- The Phoenix has outscored the Bulldogs 13-0 in the three meetings between the programs.
- Elon earned its first tie in its series with NC State last season, playing the Wolfpack to a scoreless draw at Rudd. The Wolfpack won the first 16 matches in the head-to-head.
- This will be Elon's first trip to Raleigh since 2021. The Wolfpack won that match 1-0 with a 59th minute goal.
Preseason Recognition
- Elon was picked to finish first in the CAA South Division last week as the conference unveiled its preseason poll.
- The reigning CAA champions received eight of 12 first-place votes in the South to top the preseason poll for the second consecutive season. The Phoenix accrued 62 total points in the poll, the most of any team in either division.
- The Phoenix also had four Preseason All-CAA selections – Bisgrove, Murdock, Grace Gelhaus and Ava Hellner. The four honorees were the most on any team in the conference.
- Bisgrove returns to Elon's net this season after earning All-CAA Third Team and CAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player honors in 2025. The junior goalkeeper set a single-season Elon Division I record last season with nine shutouts, which included a streak of six in a row, the longest by a CAA women's soccer goalkeeper since 2007. Bisgrove led all CAA goalkeepers in save percentage (.869), goals against average (0.78) and saves (106) last season.
- Gelhaus became the first Elon player to win CAA Defender of the Year last season after notching 17 points, the second most on the team and the most by a Phoenix defender since 2013. The senior was one of the top 10 CAA scorers last season, with her seven goals ranking tied for fifth in the conference and earned both All-CAA First Team and All-CAA Tournament Team recognition.
- Hellner is back to anchor Elon's midfield again in 2026 after logging over 1,700 minutes a season ago. The fifth-year midfielder finished with nine points last season with three goals and three assists. All three of her helpers came in conference matches against UNCW, Campbell and Towson.
- Murdock led the Phoenix with a career-high 20 points last season, the most by a Phoenix since 2019, and matched Gelhaus with a team-best seven goals to earn All-CAA Second Team honors. She finished tied for third among CAA scorers in points and tied for fifth in the conference in goals, earning spots on both the All-CAA Second Team and All-CAA Tournament Team.
Opening Night Win
- Elon kicked off its 2026 campaign last week with a 4-1 victory against VCU at Rudd Field.
- Hellner notched the first brace of her Elon career, which included the game-winning tally. Talia Feigin scored Elon's first goal of the year with freshman Nicole Kleyner adding the first goal of her career in her college debut.
- Murdock and Gabby Tirado both added an assist in the win. Murdock attempted a game-high six shots.
- The victory extended Elon's unbeaten streak in season openers to 16. The Phoenix has not lost a season opener since 2011.
- The Phoenix also scored four goals in its home opener for the second consecutive season. Elon had previously not scored that many goals in a home opener since 2002.
Defending Champions
- Elon won its second CAA title last fall and its first since the spring 2021 season.
- The Phoenix finished third in the South Division and clinched a CAA Tournament berth with a tie against College of Charleston on the last day of the regular season. Elon rode a six-match unbeaten streak into the postseason.
- Elon started its tournament with a 1-0 road win over William & Mary behind an Ashlee Brehio goal. In the semifinals, the Phoenix eliminated UNCW, the South's top seed, on the road via a penalty shootout following a scoreless draw to advance to the championship match.
- In the CAA final, Elon upended Stony Brook on the road in penalty kicks after a 1-1 decision on Long Island. Bisgrove made 10 saves in the contest to finish Elon's championship run with 28 stops.
- The Phoenix led the CAA last season in goal differential, goals against average, save percentage and shutout percentage. Elon allowed just 16 goals in 21 matches, conceding just 11 times in conference play.
- Elon also had a top-three scoring offense in the conference, netting 1.78 goals per match in CAA play.
Storylines To Follow
- Nonconference Streak: Elon extended its regular season unbeaten streak against nonconference opponents to 15 with its win against VCU. Elon has not lost a regular season match to a nonconference opponent since 2023 and went 6-0-2 in nonconference play a season ago, shutting out its final seven opponents, including NC State.
- Person Of Interest: Naomi Person made her first career start in goal Thursday against VCU, making a pair of saves in the win. Person made her college debut against South Carolina State last season, shutting out the Bulldogs in the second half after entering the match at halftime.
- Back Line Back Again: Elon returns its entire starting back line from a season ago in Gelhaus, Megan Dwyer, Jessica Hill and Alexis Pierce. Dwyer, Hill and Pierce all went the full 90 minutes against the Rams, with Gelhaus adding 71 minutes.
- Fifth-Year Connection: Hellner and Murdock connected for the game-winning goal against VCU, with Murdock delivering a precise pass onto the foot of Hellner. It was the first time the fifth years had contributed to the same goal in their 40th appearance together.
- Rookie Stripe: Kleyner made an immediate impact against VCU in her Elon debut, scoring her first career goal in the opening minutes of the second half. The freshman midfielder logged 51 minutes against the Rams, recording two shots. On Monday, Kleyner was named CAA Rookie of the Week for her performance.
Scouting South Carolina State
- The Bulldogs lost their season opener last week to Southern Utah, dropping a tight 1-0 decision in Orangeburg. South Carolina is coming off a 2-14 campaign as an independent team.
- Jada Gittings started in goal against Southern Utah, making six saves in a losing effort.
- None of South Carolina State's goal scorers from last season returned this season.
- The Bulldogs are led by second-year head coach Andrew Richardson.
Scouting NC State
- The Wolfpack is 2-0 on the season after victories last week against James Madison (3-1) and VCU (4-0). NC State will face Charlotte on Thursday at home.
- NC State was picked to finish 11th out of 17 teams in the ACC preseason poll.
- The Wolfpack has won its first two matches for the first time since 2022, and its seven goals are the most for the program through its first two matches since 2010.
- Jade Bordeleau has scored three of NC State's seven goals this season. The senior was named to the IWSOC/USC Forwards to Watch list earlier this month.
- Daisy Duda, Erica Roberts, Alex Mohr and Antonella Mazziotto have each netted a goal for the Wolfpack. Duda also has an assist, as do Fien Leijdekker, Emily Wong and Mary Frances Symmes.
- Three goalkeepers have split the net for the Wolfpack in its first three matches. Amor Leigh Martin Esteban has started both of NC State's matches in goal, with Ellie Breech appearing in both of NC State's matches and Riley Pickels logging minutes against James Madison.
- Gary Higgins is in his second year at the helm of the Wolfpack.
Stay Posted
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