Senior Mamadee Nyepon Sets Goals Mark In HPU Men’s Soccer’s 2-1 Loss To West Virginia

• High Point surrendered two second-half goals to WVU in a span of two minutes.
• Senior Mamadee Nyepon scored his fifth goal of the season with a penalty kick.
• The goal by Nyepon is the senior’s 34th career tally which sets the HPU Div. I record.

HIGH POINT, N.C. – The High Point University men’s soccer team fell to West Virginia by a score of 2-1 on Saturday night at Vert Stadium. Senior Mamadee Nyepon scored a penalty kick goal to set the HPU Div. I career record with 34.

“I think we made strides to improve from last week and played better tonight,” head coach Dustin Fonder said. “Our shape was pretty tight and organized all night except for two mistakes we made in the back to gift them goals. We need to keep improving and learn from this as we get ready to start conference play.”

West Virginia broke the scoreless draw with two goals in a two-minute span starting in the 58th minute. Jamie Merriam scored from in close after a free kick was headed down to him to put WVU ahead, 1-0. After an injury delay that saw HPU defender Sonny Mukungu go off, the Mountaineers capitalized on a miscommunication between HPU keeper Kody Palmer and the defense as Tolu Ibikinle scored on an open goal.

High Point got a goal right back just two minutes later on a penalty kick by Nyepon. The Panthers were awarded the kick from the penalty spot when redshirt-sophomore Pat Shelton was pushed from behind in the box. Nyepon took the kick and coolly slotted it into the lower left corner. The goal was the senior’s 34th of his career, which moves him into sole possession of the HPU Div. I career record.

The Panthers continued to press forward looking for an equalizer and earned several opportunities as Nyepon and freshman Ebe Kudolo both had shots run just wide of frame but HPU was unable to break down a composed Mountaineer backline.

High Point finished the contest with a 13-9 edge in shots while West Virginia had six corner kicks to HPU’s three.

Palmer made three saves but took the loss for High Point and dropped to 2-3-1 on the season while Arnold made two saves in a winning effort to move to 4-2-0.

HPU drops to 2-3-1 with the loss while West Virginia improves to 4-3-0.

The Panthers return to Vert Stadium to open conference play with a game against UNC Asheville on Saturday, Sept. 27 at 7 p.m. The contest is the NSCAA Game of the Week and will be streamed on NSCAA.TV.