HPU MSOC Pineda Collects Big South Weekly Recognition

HIGH POINT, N.C. – High Point University men’s soccer continues to rack up the weekly awards this year, with forward Tony Pineda collecting his second Big South Freshman of the Week honor this Monday. The Panthers have claimed a league-high eight conference honors this 2018, with six different players receiving awards.

Pineda collects his second Big South designation of 2018 after registering five points against UNC Asheville and Longwood. The freshman scored a game-winner with less than 10 seconds remaining of a double-overtime match with visiting UNCA, cashing in on a back door deflection off a corner kick. He would open the scoring against Longwood, crossing the face of goal and delivering a lay-off shot inside the upper-90 for his fourth of the season. Finally, with his team down a man, Pineda helped orchestrate a second straight double-overtime game-winner for the Panthers, assisting on Ilias Kosmidis’ goal in the 107th minute.

The Panthers are off to one of their best starts in Division I history, with its 10-1-0 record trailing only the 10-0-1 record the program piloted at the start of 2012. Beating both UNCA and Longwood by a final of 2-1, HPU recorded back-to-back overtime winners for the first time since joining D1 in 1999 and is currently on a six-match winning streak.

Big South Freshman of the Week
Tony Pineda | Forward/Midfield | Freshman | Statesville, N.C.

• Second career Big South Freshman of the Week honor
• Scored game-winner with less than 10 seconds left of double overtime contest with UNC Asheville
• Three-point effort against Longwood, scoring his fourth goal of the season
• Assisted on Ilias Kosmidis’ goal in double-overtime against the Lancers
• Leads the Big South in freshman points (12) and is tied for lead in freshman goals (4)

The Panthers prepare for top-flight competition this Tuesday, heading north to faceoff with No. 1 Wake Forest in Winston-Salem at 7 p.m. High Point lost its previous match with the Demon Deacons in overtime last year, but is 2-1-0 against the ACC since 2015.