HPU Women’s Soccer Drops 8-0 Decision At #4 Virginia In NCAA Tournament

• High Point falls to 0-5-0 in the NCAA Tournament with the loss to Virginia
• Freshmen Jordan Beets and Alex Persiani combined to stop 13 shots in the loss
• The Panthers finish the season with a 12-5-4 overall record, the best single-season mark in the HPU DIv. I era

HIGH POINT, N.C. – The High Point University women’s soccer team fell to #4 Virginia in the first round of the NCAA Tournament by a score of 8-0 on Friday night in Charlottesville, Virginia.

“This was a great game by Virginia, they are the best women’s college soccer team I have ever seen play and their movement off the ball is world class,” head coach Marty Beall said. “I am very proud of my team. They never gave up and they never stopped working. One game does not make or break a season and this one game does not define our season. I am very proud of the season we had.”

The Cavaliers took a 7-0 lead into halftime after an opening 45 minutes that saw them put up 15 shots on goal. Senior Morgan Brian had one goal and tied the NCAA tournament record with five assists while Morgan Reuther came off the bench to score an opening-half hat trick. Makenzy Doniak, Brittany Ratcliffe and Kristen McNabb also registered first-half goals for UVA.

Freshman Jordan Beets took the loss after starting and playing the first half for the Panthers. Beets made a career-high eight saves in the half, including a sequence in the 17th minute in which she made a diving save on a shot from Doniak then recovered to make another diving stop on the attempt by Ratcliffe on the rebound. Freshman Alex Persiani added five second-half saves, giving High Point 13 for the game.

High Point falls to 0-5-0 in five NCAA Women’s Soccer Championship appearances. The loss matched HPU’s worst loss in an NCAA Tournament contest. The Panthers previously lost to North Carolina by a score of 8-0 in 2003.

Virginia improves to 19-2-0 on the season and advances to the second round of the NCAA Tournament where the team will face Rutgers.

High Point finishes the 2014 season with a 12-5-4 record, the best single-season mark in the HPU Div. I era.