HPU Women’s Soccer Drops 1-0 Contest At Longwood

• High Point began Big South play with a 1-0 loss on the road at Longwood on Wednesday.
• Sophomore Alex Persiani made five saves on the night for the Panthers.
• HPU was outshot 9-5 in the contest.

FARMVILLE, Va. – The High Point University women’s soccer team dropped its Big South opener at Longwood by the score of 1-0 on Wednesday evening inside the LWU Athletics Complex in Farmville, Va.

“I thought our energy level was pretty poor tonight,” head coach Marty Beall said. “Everything we do stems from our energy. If we don’t bring energy and effort to every game we will not be good enough in our conference. I thought our possession was decent, but the quality in the final third was not there tonight.”

The Lancers posted the game-winning goal in the 55th minute to improve to 5-4-0 (1-0-0) on the year. HPU falls to 5-2-3 (0-1-0).

High Point posted its first shot on goal in just the third minute, when Longwood keeper Maria Kirby saved a shot from sophomore Taylor Romano. HPU had another solid chance in the 36th minute when a well-placed shot from freshman Callyn Loughrey was stopped low by Kirby.

Longwood opened the second half with an excellent scoring chance in the 55th minute. The Lancers’ Bridget Berquist took a breakaway opportunity and rifled a shot into the box, but Persiani made an impressive diving save to keep the score 0-0. Berquist threatened again just three minutes later and converted a shot attempt from 30 yards out to give the Lancers a 1-0 lead. The midfielder received a square ball at the top of the box from Gina D’Orazio and hit a shot into the top corner for the score.

High Point was outshot by a 9-5 margin in the loss with four shots on goal to the Lancers’ six. Loughrey led the Panthers with two shots on goal. Sophomore keeper Alex Persiani made five saves on the night in a losing effort.

The Panthers return to action next Wednesday, Sept. 30, with a Big South contest at Gardner-Webb. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.