Gardner-Webb Downs Elon in Football Opener

ELON, N.C. – The 2016 Elon University football season opened in front of a rowdy crowd at Rhodes Stadium, but the homestanding Phoenix came out on the wrong end of a 31-6 score against the visiting Gardner-Webb Runnin’ Bulldogs on Saturday afternoon.

BOX SCORE

Elon is now 0-1, while Gardner-Webb is 1-0.

Quotable: “It was obviously a disappointing day. We got the field goal and you feel like you’ve got some momentum coming in to the second half. Credit Gardner-Webb, they were able to put together a 65-yard drive on the first drive of the second half. We have to play smarter – the presnap penalties and then we had a couple of personal fouls. That will get corrected real quick. Our composure was not good today. We did not have a lot of composure today as a team.” – Elon head coach Rich Skrosky

How it happened: After the two teams traded field goals in the first half, Gardner-Webb received the opening kickoff of the second half and marched 65 yards to take a 10-3 lead after a Khalil Lewis one-yard plunge.

The Phoenix got a 39-yard field goal from John Gallagher to cut it to 10-6 only to see the Runnin’ Bulldogs put together a 7-play, 76-yard drive that saw Lewis rush for his second score of the contest. GWU would find the end zone twice more in the fourth period, including Lewis’ third rushing score of the day to wrap the scoring.

Stat Leaders:
Rushing
Elon – Malcolm Summers (8 carries, 33 yards)
GWU – Tyrell Maxwell (21 carries, 154 yards, 1 TD)

Passing
Elon – Connor Christiansen (15-24, 108 yards)
GWU – Maxwell (12-19, 102 yards, 1 INT)

Receiving
Elon – Corey Joyner (5 receptions, 46 yards)
GWU – Mike Estes (4 receptions, 37 yards)

Defense
Elon – John Silas (9 total tackles, 1 forced fumble, 1 PBU)
GWU – Kenyatta Dunbar (8 total tackles, 1 INT, 1 PBU)

Noteworthy: Gallagher’s two field goals upped his career total to 37 made, moving him into third place on Elon’s all-time chart … Joyner’s five receptions tied a career high; He finished with 46 receiving yards.