ELON, N.C. – Elon’s defense and special teams provided a stout effort, but the Phoenix came up just short in a 24-17 loss to defending CAA Football champion Maine on Senior Day at Rhodes Stadium.
Elon (1-10, 0-7 CAA) has now suffered five defeats by 10 or fewer points this season while the Black Bears (5-5, 4-3) won for the third consecutive outing.
Elon’s defense was led by senior linebacker Jonathan Spainwho amassed 12 total tackles, including 3.5 tackles for a loss and 2.0 sacks, to climb into fourth place on the program’s all-time tackles chart. Spain now has 352 career stops. The unit intercepted two passes, had three sacks and nine stops behind the line of scrimmage.
Said Elon head coach Rich Skrosky, “The start couldn’t have been scripted any better. We get a pick-six right from the get-go by Adrian (McClendon). For them to come out after the interception and mount a long drive was impressive. From there, it was kind of a back-and-forth game. We couldn’t really get in any kind of rhythm offensively.”
The Phoenix jumped out to a 7-0 lead thanks to Adrian McClendon’s 30-yard interception return on the third play from scrimmage.
Maine answered with a 14-play, 73-yard drive to knot it at seven when Nigel Beckford ran it in from two yards out.
With the Black Bears in front 14-7, Elon’s Jeremy Gloston knifed through the line to block a Jeffrey Ondish punt, the sixth blocked kick in the last four games for the Phoenix. The ball was recovered by Malcolm Galloway who picked up three yards on the return to set the Phoenix up at the Maine 18-yard line with 2:15 left in the first half. The Phoenix earned a first-and-goal at the five before adding three points to its total on a 23-yard field goal by John Gallagher.
After Maine built a 24-10 advantage early in the fourth quarter, Elon got another quick score. The Phoenix was set up in prime field position after McClendon tipped a ball up in the air and Julius Moore picked it off and returned it 34 yards to the Maine 17-yard line. On the first play of the ensuing drive, Mike Quinn tossed a touchdown pass to Kierre Brown to make it a seven-point affair.
The Phoenix will conclude its 2014 campaign next Saturday with a noon game at James Madison. That game will be televised by the American Sports Network.