This Week in Elon Athletics

ELON, N.C. – Every Monday, Phoenix fans can get a look at the week ahead with our “This Week in Elon Athletics” feature when we will preview all the week’s upcoming events for our sports teams. “Follow us” on Twitter at @elonphoenix and @elonscores, “Like” Elon Phoenix on Facebook and continue to check elonphoenix.com to stay current on all things Elon Athletics.

Cross Country
Elon at Royal Cross Country Challenge, Friday, Oct. 12, Charlotte, N.C.
Elon at NCAA Pre-National Meet, Saturday, Oct. 13, Louisville, Ky.

• The Phoenix will be running a split-squad this weekend with a group traveling for the Royal Challenge on Friday and another competing at the NCAA Pre-National meet on Saturday.
• Elon last competed at the Charlotte Invitational on Sept. 28 with the women finishing fifth out of 33 teams and the men coming in 11th overall out of 31.
• Sophomores Haylee Dawe and Tereza Novotna established new personal-bests in the 6K at Charlotte. Dawe crossed the line with a time of 22:16.42 and Novotna finished with a mark of 22:23.73 breaking into the top-10 in program history.
• Luis Vargas led the men for the second straight meet at Charlotte coming in at a time of 25:15.09 and 30th overall out of 144 competitors.

Men’s Soccer (8-2-1, 2-0 SoCon)
Elon vs. Wofford, Tuesday, Oct. 9, at 7 p.m., Rudd Field
Elon at Georgia Southern, Friday, Oct. 12, at 3 p.m., Statesboro, Ga.

• The Phoenix won both of its matches last week, extending its unbeaten streak to six games and eight of its last 10.
• Chris Thomas became the program’s all-time leader in goals scored in a single-season and a career last Tuesday, Oct. 2, at West Virginia in the Phoenix’s 3-2 comeback win over the 18th-ranked Mountaineers. Thomas broke Mike Wessels’ 24-year mark of 43 goals with his 44th and 45th career scores and added his 14th and 15th goals of the season.
• Thomas added his sixth game-winner of the year on Saturday, Oct. 6, with a penalty kick golden goal versus No. 22 Furman in Elon’s 1-0 win over the Paladins. Thomas also broke the single-season record for points (33) with his 16th strike of the season.
• Elon’s win over No. 22 Furman was its third win over a ranked opponent this season.

Men’s Tennis
Wake Forest Fall Invitational, Friday-Sunday, Oct. 12-14, Winston-Salem, N.C.

• The Elon men’s tennis team returns to action this weekend with the Wake Forest Fall Invitational.
• In its last competition, the Phoenix’s Stefan Fortmann and Carlos Arboleda both captured individual titles at the Elon Fall Invitational.
• Elon concludes its fall slate later this month with the ITA Regionals, Oct. 18-21, in Cary, N.C.

Volleyball (8-11, 1-3 SoCon)
Elon at Davidson, Friday, Oct. 12, at 7 p.m., Davidson, N.C.
Elon at Georgia Southern, Sunday, Oct. 14, at 2 p.m., Statesboro, Ga.

• Elon split its matches last week, claiming a sweep of Chattanooga before falling to the defending champs from Samford.
• Freshman Megan Gravley led the team with 22 kills, 3.14 kills per set, while senior Celia Rose Eddy finished with eight blocks to average 1.33 blocks per set. Freshman Ana Nicksic also helped the offense with 75 assists to average 10.7 assists per set and help Elon out hit it’s opponents.
• The Phoenix goes back on the road this week with matches at Davidson and Georgia Southern.

Women’s Golf
Elon at Lady Pirate Intercollegiate, Monday-Tuesday, Oct. 8-9, Greenville, N.C.

• The women’s golf team will participate in the 20-team Lady Pirate Intercollegiate hosted by East Carolina on Monday and Tuesday.
• The 2012 field features seven top-100 programs as well as three other Southern Conference foes.
• Elon placed ninth out of 16 teams at the UNCG Starmount Classic in its most recent tournament. Sunna Vidisdottir led the team in that tournament, placing in a tie for 17th out of 88 golfers.

Women’s Soccer (4-6-5, 2-1-3 SoCon)
Elon vs. Georgia Southern, Friday, Oct. 12, at 7 p.m., Rudd Field
Elon vs. Davidson, Sunday, Oct. 14, at 2 p.m., Rudd Field

• The Phoenix returns to Rudd Field this weekend with matches versus Georgia Southern and Davidson.
• Elon came up with a key 2-1 road victory at Furman on Sunday, Oct. 7, as Mel Insley nailed the game-winner on a penalty kick in the 58th minute.
• Shannon Foley scored her first goal of the season in the win over the Paladins, knocking in a header off an Olivia Mackey corner early in the match to give Elon a 1-0 lead.