ELON – The Elon women's soccer team (2-1) closes out its three-match road swing Thursday at Davidson (2-1) before returning home Sunday night for a match against High Point (1-2-1) at Rudd Field.
Elon at Davidson Briefing
Match Details: Aug. 27 | Davidson, N.C. | Alumni Soccer Stadium | 7 p.m.
Admission: Free
Elon vs. High Point Briefing
Match Details: Aug. 30 | Elon, N.C. | Rudd Field | 7 p.m.
Admission: Free
Watch On Prime Video
- Elon's matchup against High Point will be available to stream free on the FloSports Channel on Prime Video as part of a new distribution agreement between FloSports and Prime Video. A FloCollege subscription is not required to watch the game on the FloSports Channel. The contest will also be available through FloCollege as part of the CAA's full live broadcast schedule.
Inside The Matchups
- Davidson holds a 13-10-1 lead in the head-to-head series against the Phoenix. However, Elon has won its last five matches against the Wildcats.
- Thursday will be the first matchup between Elon and Davidson since 2017, when the Phoenix defeated the Wildcats, 2-0.
- Elon has shut out Davidson in each of their last three clashes. The Phoenix has also won three straight trips to Davidson.
- Elon is 16-3-7 all-time against High Point and is unbeaten in its last five matches against the Panthers.
- The Phoenix won 1-0 last season at High Point behind a 77th minute goal by Jess Beck. The last time the teams met at Rudd Field came in 2024, which resulted in a scoreless tie.
- Elon has not conceded a goal in any of its last four matches against the Panthers.
Preseason Recognition
- Elon was picked to finish first in the CAA South Division earlier this month.
- 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 – Katie Bisgrove, Isa 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.
Last Time Out
- Elon split a pair of decisions last week, defeating South Carolina State 6-0 before falling 2-1 at NC State.
- Six different Phoenix scored in the South Carolina State victory, the most goal scorers in a match for Elon since 2019.
- The six goals against the Bulldogs were also the most scored by Elon in a road match since 2019.
- Freshman Hannah Carlson scored a game-high three points with her first career goal and assist. Gelhaus, Murdock, Jess Beck, Jordan Green and Emerson Rogers all added a goal of their own.
- Naomi Person and Anica Carpenter shared the clean sheet in goal for the Phoenix against the Bulldogs.
- Jessica Hill netted her first career goal in the second half Sunday against the Wolfpack. She scored off a free kick from outside the box, hitting the ball off the top of the crossbar and across the goal line.
Rookie Of The Week (x2)
- Elon has swept the first two CAA Rookie of the Week honors this fall.
- Nicole Kleyner took home the award on Aug. 13 after scoring her first career goal in her college debut against VCU.
- On Monday, Carlson joined Kleyner by winning the honor for her three-point outing against South Carolina State on Aug. 20.
- All three of Elon's freshmen have scored a goal in their Elon debuts this season. Rogers joined Carlson in scoring a debut goal in the South Carolina State win.
- This is the first time since joining the CAA that Elon has won back-to-back Rookie of the Week honors.
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
- Person Of Interest: Naomi Person has started all three matches in goal this season for the Phoenix, the first three starts of her college career. She made a career-high five saves in Elon's match Sunday against NC State.
- Balanced Attack: Elon has gotten 11 goals from 10 different goal scorers this season. Ava Hellner is the only Phoenix with multiple goals this season, which both came in Elon's season opener against VCU. Additionally, 13 Elon players have recorded at least one point this season.
- Top Offense: With 11 goals this season, the Phoenix is the CAA's top scoring offense. Elon also ranks among the top 15 scoring offenses in the country entering Thursday's contest.
- Marathon Meg: Megan Dwyer has been on the field for all 270 minutes Elon has played this season, the only Elon player to play every possible minute. Hill and Alexis Pierce have also logged 220-plus minutes on Elon's backline.
- Home Sweet Rudd: The Phoenix is unbeaten in its last nine matches at Rudd Field, a streak that began with last year's home opener. Elon is averaging 2.6 goals in those nine matches, six of which have resulted in Phoenix victories.
- Sunday Doubleheader: Both Elon's men's and women's soccer teams will play at home Sunday. The doubleheader begins with the men's game against William & Mary at 2 p.m. before the women take on High Point at 7 p.m.
Scouting Davidson
- The Wildcats are 2-1 this season, which includes a road victory against High Point on Aug. 16. Madelyn Hayes scored the only goal for the Wildcats in a 1-0 win.
- Davidson also has a 2-0 victory against College of Charleston. Their only loss came in a 3-2 result at USC Upstate.
- Hayes leads the Wildcats in points (4) and goals (2). Reese Montgomery, Adriana Dunat and Charlotte Hansen have each scored one goal for the Wildcats.
- Olivia Bestic has played all 270 minutes in the field for Davidson.
- Grace Stair has started all three matches in goal for the Wildcats. She has made 10 saves and recorded a pair of shutouts, only conceding goals in the Upstate loss.
- Davidson is led by fourth-year head coach Riley Piechnick.
Scouting High Point
- The Panthers currently 1-2-1 on the season and will play NC State on Thursday before facing Elon on Sunday.
- High Point began its campaign with a pair of 1-0 losses at the hands of UNCG and Davidson before beating Marshall, 4-0. The Panthers drew against East Carolina in their most recent match.
- Sabba Haghhoo leads the Panthers with three goals. Morgan Wilcox also has a pair of goals for High Point, with Chloe Edwards rounding out the team's goal scorers.
- Nylah Mirshafiel has started the last three matches in goal for High Point after Kylee Williams started the season opener. Mirshafiel has made 16 saves and boasts a 0.842 save percentage.
- The Panthers were tabbed to finish first in the Big South preseason poll, receiving seven of nine first-place votes. Kari Powell was selected the Big South's Preseason Midfielder of the Year and has logged 298 minutes on the campaign.
- High Point is led by head coach Aaron McGuiness, who is in his fifth season leading the program.
Stay Posted
For further coverage of Elon women's soccer, follow the Phoenix on X (@ElonWSoccer), Instagram (elonwsoccer) and Facebook (Elon Women's Soccer).
