ROCK HILL, S.C. – The High Point University women’s soccer team battled back from an early 2-0 hole to tie Winthrop, 3-3, on Thursday night in Rock Hill, S.C. Junior Becca Hemby played a role in all three Panther goals with two scores and an assist on the night.
“I am extremely disappointed in the result and how we played,” head coach Marty Beall said. “We did not do the things that we had been practicing tonight. The result of that is dropping points in a very tight conference race. One thing I like about this team is they never stop working and never give up. I know they will be resilient and come back from this in the right way.”
The Panthers fell behind by early in the game as Winthrop scored in the third and fifth minutes to take a 2-0 lead. WU’s Krystyna Freda scored with a shot from 18-yards out to put Winthrop up 1-0 then assisted on a goal by Allie Vandewater to put the Eagles up by two.
HPU got its first goal back in the 27th minute on Hemby’s sixth goal of the season. The Panthers earned a corner kick and junior Taylor Parker took it from the right side. The midfielder curled a box to the far box where Hemby beat two defenders for the score.
High Point struck again just over two-minutes later to tie the game at 2-2 on a goal by senior Janay Whittaker. Once again set pieces played a key role as freshman Amy Burch delivered a free kick into the box where Hemby then jumped up to flick the ball on to Whittaker. The senior brought the ball down within 10-yards of goal and beat the keeper with a high shot to tie the game.
Winthrop retook the lead in the 55th minute with a goal by Taylor Coleman but HPU came right back to tie the game in the 62nd minute on Hemby’s second goal of the match. Junior Brooke Lisson played a free kick and Whittaker flicked it on to Hemby who made a diagonal run behind the defense. Hemby then hit her shot off the keeper’s hands into the net.
High Point’s best scoring chance in extra time came in the final minute of play when HPU earned a free kick on a handball just outside the penalty area. Harris took the kick and bent it over the wall but Winthrop’s Amelia Henderson got a cross to make the save. The ball spilled out but Henderson secured it ahead of an onrushing Hemby.
The tie was High Point’s sixth of the season, making the Panthers 2-4-6 overall and 1-0-2 in the Big South. Winthrop Is moves to 5-4-1 overall and 2-0-1 in the Big South.
High Point finished the game with a slim 25-24 edge in shots. The Panthers put 12 shots on frame in the game including five from Hemby. Junior Jesse May came on in relief of Ivy Cocklereece in goal and made one save to earn the tie.
HPU next returns home for its first Big South home game of the season on Saturday, Sept. 29, at 7 p.m., when to will welcome Gardner-Webb to Vert Stadium. The Panthers are 5-2-2 all-time against GWU which is 2-8-0 overall and 1-2-0 in the Big South in 2012.