• Freshman Avery Ryan scored his sixth goal of the season for the Panthers in the 1-1 draw.
• Redshirt-junior Kody Palmer made six saves in the draw for HPU.
• The draw clinches home field advantage in the Big South Quarterfinals for High Point, who cannot finish lower than third.
CONWAY, S.C. – The High Point University men’s soccer team played Coastal Carolina to a 1-1 draw on Wednesday night in Conway, South Carolina. Freshman Avery Ryan found the back of the net for the Panthers.
“Obviously we go into every game wanting to win but when you go on the road against an opponent like Coastal Carolina and get a point it is satisfying,” head coach Dustin Fonder said. “This was a gritty gutty performance. We didn’t have the quality we would have liked but we are missing a couple people with injuries. The guys on the field represented High Point well with their heart and character.”
The game began with high intensity from both teams, but it was High Point that found the first goal of the night with a score by Ryan in the 21st minute. The freshman split the two CCU center backs and ran onto a long ball from junior Adam Storm before beating the keeper with a high shot into the top left corner.
High Point had two other quality chances in the first half as Ryan had a header run just wide of the right post and sophomore Renato Punyed saw a header kept out with a diving save. The Panthers went into the locker room at the half still leading, 1-0.
Coastal Carolina controlled play early in the second half and earned a penalty kick two minutes into the period for a foul at the edge of the box. Redshirt-junior Kody Palmer kept the ball out with a diving stop to preserve the one-goal lead.
The Chanticleers earned their second penalty kick of the half five minutes later and did not waste it as Shawn McLaws converted to tie the game at 1-1 in the 52nd minute. The CCU defender hit a high shot to the right side for the game-tying goal.
Neither team was able to find a game-winner in the second half or either overtime as both teams earned their first draw in conference play this season.
Coastal Carolina finished with a 23-10 edge in shots and put seven shots on goal to HPU’s three.
Palmer made six saves in the match to improve to 6-4-2 on the season. Devin Cook-Perales made two saves for CCU and moved to 8-4-1 on the season.
High Point moves to 9-6-2 overall and 6-1-1 in the Big South with the draw while Coastal Carolina moves to 11-5-1 overall and 6-1-1 in the Big South. The tie secures home field advantage for HPU in the Big South Quarterfinals next week.
The Panthers wrap up the regular season on Saturday, Nov. 8, when they travel to Lynchburg, Virginia to take on Liberty. The match was originally scheduled to be played on Oct. 7, but was rained out. Kickoff for the match is at 1 p.m.