HPU MSOC Panthers Held Off by Camels, 1-0

• HPU fell in its Big South home opener, 1-0, to Campbell on Wednesday night at Vert Stadium
• Redshirt-sophomore Bana Ganidekam led High Point with six shots, including two of the Panthers’ three on target
• High Point hits the road on Saturday for a match at Radford, the league’s preseason favorite. Kickoff is at 5 p.m.

HIGH POINT, N.C. – The High Point University men’s soccer team made a late push with four shots in the final 10 minutes, but was unable to find the tying tally in a 1-0 setback against Campbell on Wednesday night at Vert Stadium.

“Campbell dictated the way the game was played tonight,” head coach EJ O’Keeffe said. “They were well coached and executed what they wanted to do. We didn’t get a grasp of the game nearly enough to control the way the match was played. We will sort some things out as we prepare for Radford, who sits atop the league right now.”

Neither team was able to find much offensive footing in the first half with just one shot aside in the first 15 minutes. Redshirt-sophomore Bana Ganidekam provided the first two opportunities for HPU (3-4-3, 1-1-0), but both were saved by Campbell (6-4-1, 2-1-0) keeper Matthew Mozynski. Ganidekam was High Point’s main attacker throughout the night, accounting for six shots, which was one shy of his career high.

High Point held a 4-3 edge in shots at the break and had the first opportunity of the second half sail wide off the foot of Ganidekam in the 49th minute. Campbell began to take over possession through the middle stages of the second half, ultimately taking the lead in the 65th minute. Samuel Oristaoki sent in a free kick that was headed down by Gabe Parrish across the 6′ box to JJ Donnelly, who finished past sophomore Keegan Meyer to give the Camels a 1-0 advantage.

Trailing by a goal, HPU forced the issue in the final 10 minutes of the match. Off a corner kick in the 83rd minute, Ganidekam headed a solid opportunity high. A minute later, sophomore Jaime Vasconcellos had his long try from outside of the box stopped by Mozynski.

Ganidekam had the last two chances for HPU in the waning moments. He headed another corner just over the crossbar in the 88th minute and sailed a shot from the left side of the box well high in the 89th minute. Campbell was able to clear the ball and finish the match off for the victory.

The Panthers edged the Camels in shots, 10-7, while Campbell put four shots on target to High Point’s three. Meyer made three saves in defeat for the Purple & White.

HPU hits the road for its next conference match on Saturday against preseason favorite Radford. Kickoff is scheduled for 5 p.m. and the game will be streamed on the Big South Network.