HPU women’s soccer earns 2-0 win over Appalachian State in home opener

• High Point remained undefeated on the season with a 2-0 win over Appalachian State in the team’s home opener on Friday.
• Redshirt-junior Bailey Beattie and sophomore Tyler Gordon both scored in the second half for the Panthers.
• Junior Alex Hank made four saves to pick up her second clean sheet of the season.

HIGH POINT, N.C. – The High Point University women’s soccer team scored twice in the second half to pick up a 2-0 win over Appalachian State in its home opener on Friday afternoon at Vert Stadium.

“I am very proud of our girls today,” head coach Marty Beall said. “We started the game a little slow in the first half but we made some halftime adjustments and I couldn’t be prouder of how they responded. We came out in the second half and were fantastic. Appalachian State is a very good team that is organized and hard to break down so I thought we did a good job creating goal scoring opportunities in the second half.”

The Panthers remain undefeated in 2016 with the win, improving to 2-0-1 through three games. Appalachian State drops to 2-1-0 with its first loss of the season.

The game remained locked in a scoreless stalemate until the 79th minute when redshirt-junior Bailey Beattie scored her first goal of the season to put the Panthers ahead, 1-0. Beattie beat the keeper on a ball over the top from junior Becca Sweredoski and poked a shot to the far post with her first touch to give HPU the lead.

High Point doubled its lead in the final second on a goal by Tyler Gordon. Gordon controlled the ball just outside the HPU penalty area following an Appalachian State free kick and galloped down the field before slotting a shot past the onrushing ASU keeper.

HPU controlled possession throughout the second half, outshooting the Mountaineers, 14-4. The Panthers finished with a 19-8 advantage in shots and a 9-4 edge in shots on target. Junior Michele Micciche registered six shots with two on frame.

Junior Alex Hank made four saves to pick up her second clean sheet in three games to start the season. The defending Big South Defensive Player of the Year has now allowed just one goal in 290 minutes of action so far this season.

High Point returns to the road this Sunday, Aug. 28, when the team heads to Athens, Ohio to take on the Ohio Bobcats. Kickoff in the game is set for 1 p.m.