HPU women’s soccer and UNCG battle to a 0-0 draw

• High Point opened the season with a 0-0 road draw at inter-Triad rival UNCG on Friday night in Greensboro, N.C.
• The Panthers held a 19-11 advantage in shots with seven on target.
• Junior Alex Hank made five saves to claim her 11th clean sheet of the season.

GREENSBORO, N.C. – The High Point University women’s soccer team played UNCG to a 0-0 draw on the road to open the 2016 regular season on Friday night in Greensboro, N.C.

“I am very happy with the way the team played tonight,” head coach Marty Beall said. “I thought we did a great job with team defending. We made some adjustments and they worked well. UNCG is a very difficult team to defend They have some really good players that put you under pressure. I am proud of our backs for handling that and I am proud of our midfield and our forwards for the pressure they put on our opponent. We did a good job possessing the ball now we just need to work on finding that final piece and putting the ball in the net.”

The Panthers start the season with an 0-0-1 record and improve to 1-5-1 all-time against UNCG.

High Point weathered a frenzied attack by the Spartans early in the game. Hank made two diving stops and another Spartan shot hit the post off a corner kick. The Panthers started gaining control late in the opening period with five shots in the final 15 minutes, giving them a 10-6 edge heading into the half.

HPU continued to press for the go-ahead goal in the second half and overtime but was unable to find the game winner. The Panthers’ best chance of the night in the second of overtime period when junior Bri Jean-Charles was played in behind the Spartan defense. The forward’s touch around the keeper was too heavy, pulling her wide of goal. Jean-Charles’ cross back across the face of goal was cleared forcing High Point to recycle the attack. Sophomore Callyn Loughrey then delivered a cross in from the right flank that redshirt-senior Kelsey Perrell headed on frame, but right at the UNCG keeper.

The Panthers finished the night with a 19-11 edge in shots and a 7-5 advantage in shots on frame. Junior Alex Hank came through with several sterling saves to preserve her 11th career clean sheet.

High Point continues its opening weekend with a road contest at Elon on Sunday, Aug. 21, at 7 p.m. The Panthers and Phoenix last played in 2014 when HPU picked up a 3-0 win at Vert Stadium.