• Senior Connor Robinson extended his program-record streak netting a hat trick for the sixth straight contest with five goals on the day.
• Junior Tim Troutner Jr. made a season-high 16 stops in the crease for the Purple & White.
• Freshman Asher Nolting tallied five points (2g, 3a) and has scored at least three points in eight consecutive games, which is a program record.
RICHMOND, Va. – The High Point University men’s lacrosse team fell behind at the half and, despite multiple second half charges, couldn’t overcome Richmond’s lead in a 15-12 setback on Saturday afternoon.
The Panthers (1-7, 1-1) scored first before the Spiders (5-4, 2-1) built an 8-4 edge early in the third quarter. Then, senior Connor Robinson spearheaded a comeback attempt scoring five second-half goals with the first three cutting the deficit to two.
However, High Point couldn’t get any closer as Richmond opened up a 15-8 lead before the Purple & White mounted one more run scoring the game’s final four goals in a 15-12 setback.
“When you are playing a good quality opponent in conference you have to limit your mistakes,” head coach Jon Torpey said. “Today we made too many mistakes on both sides of the ball and in the middle third of the field to win the game.”
Robinson’s five-goal-one-assist outing was his sixth consecutive performance with a hat trick extending his program record streak. Similarly, freshman Asher Nolting made it eight straight games with at least three points posting two goals and three assists, which also sets an HPU record.
In the cage, junior Tim Troutner Jr. made a season-high 16 stops while picking up four ground balls.
HPU’s third multi-point scorer, sophomore Ricky Koehler recorded the first two-point game of his career with a goal and an assist. Meanwhile, seniors Jason Ashwood, Chris Young and Adam Dickson and freshman Koby Russell notched the team’s other goals. Similarly, senior Peyton Garrett, junior Brandon Savoie and sophomore Dalton Sulver all added an assist apiece.
After Richmond won eight of the nine first-half draws, sophomore Davis Sampere won nine in the second half to finish 10-of-24 with five ground balls.
Joining Troutner, Nolting, Russell, junior Joel Schwarz, sophomores Mitchell Snyder and Nick Walsh and freshman Taylor Acra all picked up multiple ground balls in the contest.
After Nolting opened the scoring the Spiders posted a 4-0 run to take a 4-1 advantage with 7:37 remaining in the first. Although the HPU defense held Richmond to just one goal the rest of the half, the offense only tallied one more to enter the break down 5-2.
After halftime Nolting, Ashwood and Koehler all scored in the first six minutes to offset three goals by the home team. However, HPU kept up the pressure as Robinson scored the team’s next three goals with each cutting the deficit to two. But Richmond kept answering taking an 11-8 lead with 12:18 to go.
From there, the Spiders’ advantage swelled to 15-8 with 3:16 to play. HPU responded scoring three goals in 29 seconds at one point to cut the deficit to three, but ran out of time falling 15-12.
The Purple & White return home on Saturday, March 31 to host Jacksonville in Vert Stadium at noon.