HPU WLAX Rally Falls Short Against UMBC Saturday

• The Panthers outscored the Retrievers, 4-2, in the second half but could not erase a 5-1 halftime deficit
• Junior Allie Foard led HPU with her fifth multi-point effort in five games this season
• Junior Kristina Renner added a goal, three caused turnovers and a career-best six ground balls

HIGH POINT, N.C. – The High Point University women’s lacrosse team outscored UMBC 4-2 in the second half but could not erase a four-goal deficit, falling to the Retrievers 7-5 on Saturday inside Vert Stadium.

HPU trailed 5-1 at the half, but used a 4-1 run in the second half to cut the UMBC lead to 6-5 with 8:04 to play. But two late HPU free position attempts hit pipe and the Retrievers held on for the win.

“There are a few positives we can take from today’s game,” head coach Lyndsey Boswell said. “We played better in the second half but good things don’t happen when you only play 30 minutes of a 60 minute game. I’m looking forward to our next home game and trying to put together a complete effort.”

Junior Allie Foard posted her fifth-straight multi-point game for the Panthers (1-4) after tallying a pair of scores against the Retrievers (3-2). Foard leads HPU with nine goals and 13 points this season. Junior midfielder Kristina Renner added a goal, three caused turnovers and a career-best six ground balls for the Panthers.

Senior goalkeeper Julia Burns played a full 60 minutes in cage for the Purple & White and made eight saves while allowing seven goals in 60 minutes of action.

The teams were tied in draw controls (7-7), while the Retrievers held the advantage in shots (27-15). UMBC was +6 in ground balls (20-14), although HPU held a 10-8 edge in the second half.

UMBC posted the first score of the game before a goal from Renner tied the score at 1-1 at the 23:34 mark of the first half. UMBC posted the next four goals of the game to take a 5-1 lead with 9:38 to play in the first half. Neither team could score for the remainder of the half and the Retrievers took the four-goal lead into the break.

Junior Emily Meier posted a free position goal less than a minute into the second half to cut the UMBC lead to three (5-2) and HPU added another on a free position goal from Foard with 18:49 to play. Neither team could score for the next eight minutes of action, until UMBC added a goal to make it 6-3 with 10:26 remaining in the game.

But from there, HPU stormed back with a pair of goals over the next two minutes. Freshman Erica Perrotta tallied her fourth goal of the season with 9:57 to go, then Foard notched her second goal of the game after a great feed from sophomore Samantha Brown to move the Panthers within one (6-5) with 8:04 to play.

HPU had chances to tie the game down the stretch, but shots from senior attack Kendyl Gardner and Meier hit the pipe and UMBC added a late goal at the 2:07 mark to clinch the victory.

HPU returns to action Tuesday inside Vert Stadium with a contest vs. Vermont (2-2). First draw is scheduled for 6 p.m.