Perry Scores Four Goals As HPU Women’s Lacrosse Tops Villanova 16-8

HIGH POINT, N.C. – The High Point University women’s lacrosse team scored the first seven goals of the day en route to a 16-8 win over Villanova at Vert Stadium on Friday. Seniors Alec Perry and Mackenzie Carroll both tallied five points for the Panthers.

“I thought we played with a sense of urgency today, which is something that was missing a little bit lately for us,” said head coach Lyndsey Boswell. “Today we did a good job of keeping possession on our end of the field, which we’ve really focused on after Ohio State. The defense showed up and did a great job today and Julia had a good game in the cage.”

Perry and Carroll were two of nine different players to score for HPU in the win. Perry finished the game with four goals and an assist and now leads the team with 17 points on a team-high 13 goals to go with four assists this season. Carroll, meanwhile, scored one goal and had four assists, which now gives her 16 points on the year with 10 goals and six assists.

The Panthers also received goals from Christie Dougherty, Jasmine Jordan, Kendyl Gardner and Sara Kuhlman, who all scored twice while Emily Meier, Emilie Pugliese and Kacy Koolage each tallied one goal.

High Point improved to 3-3 overall with a perfect 2-0 mark at home this season. Villanova moved to 3-3 with the loss.

The Panthers notched the first goal of the game just three minutes into the action when Jasmine Jordan scored her first of the day off an assist from Mackenzie Carroll. The goal sparked a seven unanswered goal streak to open the game for HPU until Villanova broke through with its first goal with 3:29 left to play in the first half.

With High Point leading 7-1 coming out of halftime, the Wildcats tried to climb back into the game as midfielder Chelsey Henderson scored the first two goals of the second half. Perry’s first goal of the day snapped Villanova’s three goal streak and sparked another HPU run. The Panthers scored the next five goals, which included two more by Perry, to push the lead to 13-3. Following Henderson’s third goal of the day, Perry tallied her fourth score of the half to put HPU ahead 14-4. The Wildcats would tack on four more goals while the Panthers’ Kuhlman and Pugliese each added another for HPU to finish off the game 16-8.

Julia Burns, the reigning Big South Defensive Player of the Week, earned the win in the cage for High Point. Burns made several big saves for the Panthers. The junior finished the game with 10 saves including seven in the second half.

The Panthers held a 16-10 advantage in draw controls and were 14-for-16 in clear attempts including a perfect 9-for-9 in the first half.

High Point will return to action on Thursday, March 20 when the Panthers host Denver at 4 p.m. HPU lost to the Pioneers last year in Denver, Colo. by a score of 18-8.