Elon University Athletics

LEXINGTON, Va. – Elon forward Isa Murdock netted her first career hat trick Thursday to fuel a 5-0 victory for the Elon women's soccer team (4-1-1) over VMI (0-5-1) at Patchin Field.

Murdock became the first Phoenix to score three goals in a match since Grace Gelhaus did so in 2023. Murdock scored Elon's first two goals of the contest before completing the hat trick in the 86th minute.

Senior Maya Abousaab notched her first career goal in the second half with freshman Nicole Kleyner scoring her second career goal. Talia Feigin recorded a hat trick of assists, helping on each of Elon's three second-half tallies to set a new career high.

The Phoenix, which entered Thursday's match as a top 20 scoring offense in the country, has now produced 21 goals through its first six matches of the campaign, scoring three or more goals on four occasions.   

How It Happened

• Murdock took the game's first two shot attempts, missing just high on both.
• In the 19th minute, Murdock broke the scoreless tie, scoring after a run down the right sideline. Murdock received the ball from Gabby Tirado and took it into the box, firing a shot to the far post that beat the VMI goalkeeper and put the Phoenix on the board.
• Elon continued to generate steady pressure after the opening tally, with Feigin, Lilly McFadden and Charlise Grimes all attempting shots shortly after the goal.
• Murdock struck again in the 28th minute, this time after a bit of Gelhaus magic. After Jenna Abousaab freed up Gelhaus down the left wing with a pass, Gelhaus made a run toward the corner and centered a cross into the box that found the head of Murdock, who flicked the ball into the back of the net for her second goal in eight minutes of game action.
• Elon put three more shots on target in the first half following Murdock's second goal, but could not score again before the break, taking a 2-0 advantage into halftime. Murdock scored what looked like her third goal of the half before the break, but it was waved off for offsides.
• Anica Carpenter made a pair of early second-half saves to keep the Keydets off the scoreboard.
• Elon had several chances to extend the lead throughout the second half but finally converted its third of the match in the 80th minute. Kleyner scored on assists from Jordan Green and Feigin to make it 3-0 for the Phoenix.
• Murdock finally completed her hat trick in the 86th minute, scoring off a find from Feigin, who beat a defender in the right corner before centering the ball into the box for Murdock to finish.
• Just over a minute and a half later, Feigin again set up one of her teammates for a goal, this time beating a defender and maneuvering around the goalkeeper in the box to find an open Maya Abousaab at the far post. Abousaab tapped the ball into the net for her first career goal.
• The Phoenix secured its clean sheet from there to cap off a 5-0 victory.

 
Notable Numbers

• Murdock became the first Phoenix to notch a hat trick since Gelhaus scored three goals against Hampton on Sept. 28, 2023.
• It was Murdock's second career multi-goal outing and her first since netting a brace on Sept. 2, 2024, at Wofford.
• Murdock's 13 points are currently the most among all CAA scorers. Her five goals are also tied for the conference lead.
• Feigin's three assists were the most by a Phoenix in a match since Ashlee Brehio also dished out three in that Hampton victory in 2023. The senior forward is tied with Gelhaus for a team-high four helpers this season and has already doubled her point total from last season (3) with six points in the opening six matches this fall.
• Maya Abousaab's goal was the first of her career in her 11th appearance with the Phoenix. Her twin sister Jenna Abousaab also found the scoresheet Thursday, assisting on Murdock's second goal of the match. It was the first time both Abousaab twins have tallied points in the same match in their four seasons playing together.
• With the goal, Maya Abousaab became the sixth Phoenix to score their first career goal this sesaon, joining Kleyner, Hannah Carlson, Isabel DiPrima, Jessica Hill and Emerson Rogers. 
• Kleyner's goal was the second of her freshman season and her first since Elon's season opener against VCU. The midfielder has five points in her rookie season to lead Elon's freshman class in scoring.
• With an assist on Murdock's second goal, Gelhaus is up to four helpers on the campaign. She has already tied her career high for assists in a season, which she set as a freshman in 2023.
• Tirado extended her streak of consecutive matches with at least a point to four straight with her assist on Murdock's first goal. The junior, who celebrated a birthday Thursday, has recorded a point in five of Elon's six matches this season.
• Green's assist on Kleyner's goal was the sixth of her career. The senior is up to three points on the season.
• In total, eight different Phoenix notched at least one point on the day.
• Elon outshot VMI 22-9 and put 13 of its shots on target.
• Carpenter made her first career start in Elon's goal, making four saves to record her first full clean sheet. She also shared a shutout with Naomi Person on Aug. 20 at South Carolina State.
• Elon utilized 21 field players over the course of the contest. No Phoenix field player logged more time than Megan Dwyer's 73 minutes.
• McFadden made her first start of the campaign, with Jenna Abousaab, Carlson and Grimes all starting for a second time on the season.
• Elon has now outscored the Keydets 13-0 in the three all-time meetings between the programs.
• The Phoenix has converted 21 goals in its first six matches this season, averaging 3.5 goals per contest. The 21 goals are the most ever by an Elon team through the first six matches of a season.

 
Up Next
The Phoenix plays its final road nonconference match of the season Sunday against American. Kickoff is slated for 11 a.m.
 
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