The Matchup: Towson (6-4-2, 1-2-0 CAA) @ Elon (6-4-1, 1-1-1 CAA)
Place: Rudd Field – Elon, N.C.
Date/Time: Sunday, October 10, 1 p.m.
Broadcast: FloSports ($)
Live Stats: elonphoenix.com
 
TOWSON, Md. – The Towson University women's soccer team will go south for the first time for a game this season, taking on the reigning CAA champion Elon on Sunday, Oct. 10 at 1 p.m. in North Carolina.
 
The game will be broadcast on FloSports, available via subscription.  Visit FloSports.tv/CAA to view the full Colonial Athletic Association schedule and sign up today.
 
This is Towson's lone road matchup in a span of five games, from Oct. 3-17.  This is also the first of two regular season matchups in the state of North Carolina, with a game at UNCW set for Oct. 31.
 
Towson fell in double overtime 1-0 to Northeastern on Thursday at home to stand at 6-4-2 overall and 1-2 in CAA play.  Elon is unbeaten in its last two games, the last a 2-1 home victory over Charleston on Thursday, to be 6-4-1 overall and 1-1-1 in the league.
 
Playing every fall season since Elon joined the CAA, the two teams are tied in the all-time series 3-3.  The Phoenix have won the last two, including the last, a 3-1 victory in Towson on Oct. 13, 2019.  The last victory for the Tigers in the series came on Sept. 28, 2017, a 2-1 win at home.
 
MELENDEZ EARNS PRESEASON ALL-CAA HONORABLE MENTION
Riley Melendez was voted as a 2021 CAA All-Conference Honorable Mention in the preseason coaches poll.  Earning Second Team All-CAA in the spring, Melendez was a three-time CAA Defensive Player of the Week with 31 saves on the season, allowing just five goals in the first seven games.
 
NIA GOING FOR TOWSON SEASON RECORD
Nia Christopher, as of Oct. 4, is tied for third in all of Division I with 11 goals this season, also tied for first in the CAA.  11 goals currently stand fourth all-time in Towson single season history and is the highest Tiger single season goal tally since 2013: Emily Banes hold the Towson record with 15 goals during the 2013 campaign.
 
FORMERLY FANTASTIC FRESHMEN FOUR
In spring 2021, Towson placed four freshmen on the All-CAA and CAA All-Rookie Teams, the most all-conference players in a single season in program history.  Demi Pierre (M) and Riley Melendez (GK) earned All-CAA Second Team while Nia Christopher (F) and Phoebe Canoles (D) were All-CAA Third Team.
 
LAST TIME: TOWSON EDGED LATE IN BATTLE VS. NU
Towson and Northeastern went back-and-forth in a scoreless stalemate until NU scored with 1:09 left in double OT to win.
Top Towson offensive player:
--Nia Christopher: 5 shots, 2 SOG
Towson goalkeeper:
--Riley Melendez (L): 9 saves, 1 GA
 
BLANK HAS NO BLANK SLATE
Jenna Blank may be going for some records during the 2021 campaign.  She has eight career goals in 49 games, including 30 starts at forward.
 
The junior has three career game-winning goals with the Black & Gold.  One more will make her tied for 12th all-time in Towson history.
 
Välkommen till Towson universitet
Towson sports two starters from Sweden: redshirt sophomore Demi Pierre, from Gävle, All-CAA Second Team midfielder in the spring, and Maja Hansson, from Sandviken, a sophomore who played for the U18 Swedish National Team.
 
In addition, Nia Christopher is also from outside the U.S., being a member of the Senior National Team of Bermuda.
 
TOWSON DUO NAMED CAA PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
    With Towson's 3-0 victory over W&M on Oct. 3, two Tigers were honored with CAA weekly awards: Nia Christopher was the CAA Offensive Player of the Week with two goals while Riley Melendez was the CAA Defensive Player of the Week with seven saves in a shutout win.  It is the first time since Mar. 8, 2021 where Towson has earned two CAA weekly awards in the same period.
 
CHRISTOPHER EARNS CSN WOMEN'S PLAYER OF THE WEEK
With a combined four goals in two games, including a hat trick with a golden goal at Mount St. Mary's, Nia Christopher was recognized as the College Soccer News Women's Player of the Week on Sept. 9 along with her CAA Offensive Player of the Week honor.  Her performance led to two Towson victories, including a home win vs. Temple.
 
25TH ANNIVERSARY OF 1996 AMERICA EAST TITLE TEAM
2021 marks the 25th year since the Towson women's soccer team won its first league title as a program, winning the America East that season.  The Tigers needed back-to-back four-overtime games to win the tournament, capped by a 142nd minute goal by Christi Landi to defeat Delaware 2-1 and take the league title.
 
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT:
Elon won its first league title in just its seventh year in the conference.  Three players each have three goals on the year to share the team lead: Sarah Bevington, Kayla Hodges and Carson Jones.  McKenna Dalfonso, the starting keeper for last year's league title team, stands in net with a 1.09 goals allowed average and a 75% save rate.