HIGH POINT, N.C. – The High Point University women’s lacrosse team scored 15 goals while shutting out Presbyterian College in the first half to coast to a 20-3 win in the Big South Quarterfinals on Wednesday at Vert Stadium. Senior Sara Kuhlman led the Panthers with five goals while senior Mackenzie Carroll dished out six assists.
Carroll finished the contest with seven points to give her 71 points on the season, which is tied for second-most in a single-season in HPU history. Carroll sits seven points shy of Grace Graeng’s 78 points in 2011. Kuhlman finished the game with six points.
“We really emphasized starting off strong, maintaining posession and taking care of the ball after the Davidson game, which I felt like we did tonight,” said HPU head coach Lyndsey Boswell. “I feel really good about our leadership and how the seniors are carrying the team and bringing everyone along.”
The Panthers also received a career-high four goals from sophomore Allie Foard while junior Kendyl Gardnernotched her sixth hat trick of the season. Carroll, Alec Perry, Jasmine Jordan, Abby Berrettone, Staphanie Pazulski, Samantha Brown, Christie Dougherty and Kasey Callaway all added a goal as well for HPU.
Jordan, Kuhlman and Perry each picked up an assist as well along with one by freshman Melissa Villanti.
HPU improved to 12-5 on the season while PC finished its season 4-14. Four of High Point’s five losses this season came to teams currently ranked in the top-20 nationally.
The Panthers jumped out to a quick 6-0 lead within the first 10 minutes of the game. HPU scored nine more in the half including the five by Kuhlman to send the game into half up 15-0.
PC struck first after the break before Foard scored her second and third of the game to push HPU’s lead to 17-1. PC’s Jess Goergen scored the next two goals before Foard tallied her fourth. Berrettone and Brown capped HPU’s scoring to finish off the 20-3 victory.
High Point outshot the Blue Hose 28-8 and held an 18-7 advantage on draw controls. The Panthers went 14-of-16 on clears while limiting PC to just 9-of-15 on clear attempts.
High Point will return to action in the semifinals on Friday against No. 4 seed Winthrop at Vert Stadium at 4 p.m. The Eagles topped Coastal Carolina on Wednesday 14-8 to advance to the semifinals. HPU beat Winthrop 18-7 earlier in the season with Carroll matching the HPU single-game record with eight points on six assists and a pair of goals.