Road Trip Begins
Elon’s women’s soccer team will begin its 2026 schedule with a pair of road games that mark the first away matches of the season. The Phoenix are set to face South Carolina State on August 20 before traveling to Raleigh to meet NC State on August 23, a stretch that promises both historic milestones and fresh challenges.
The Phoenix hold a 3‑0 all‑time advantage over South Carolina State, highlighted by a 5‑0 victory in 2015, and they posted their first tie in the series with NC State last year, ending a 16‑match winning streak that had favored the Wolfpack.
Preseason polls crowned Elon as the CAA South Division champion, earning eight of twelve first‑place votes, and the team’s defensive backbone returns intact. Goalkeeper Naomi Person topped all CAA keepers with an .869 save percentage and nine shutouts last season, while defender Grace Gelhaus made history as the first Elon player to capture CAA Defender of the Year.
The attacking lineup also returns key contributors. Ava Hellner, Nicole Kleyner and the rest of the midfield corps, including Murdock, are expected to build on a season‑opening 4‑1 win over VCU that featured a brace from Hellner and the first career goal for Kleyner.
Adding to the narrative, Jade Bordeleau of NC State has already opened the season with three goals, underscoring the competitive edge the Wolfpack bring to the upcoming clash. Elon’s starting back line — Gelhaus, Dwyer, Hill and Pierce — and midfield unit — Hellner and Murdock — remain unchanged, providing continuity as the team looks to extend its unbeaten streak.