Nolting’s Career Day Leads No. 14 HPU MLAX Past Air Force

• Sophomore Asher Nolting logged a program-record and career-high six assists.
• Nolting tied the program-record with nine points.
• Nolting and junior Ben Baker led the team with three goals.

HIGH POINT, N.C. – The High Point University men’s lacrosse team defeated Air Force, 13-9, on Saturday, April 6, at Vert Stadium.

High Point (9-2, 3-1) grabbed 29 ground balls and went 18-20 on clearing opportunities, while Air Force (7-4, 3-1) had 28 ground balls and logged a 16-18 record on clears. HPU put 18 of 24 shots on goal and only allowed USAFA to put 21 of 45 on cage. The Purple & White logged 12 saves on the day.

“I thought we played incredibly poised on both ends of the field,” HPU head coach Jon Torpey said. “We executed in the middle third. We asked the guys to do some different things this week and they were able to do that. I’m just really proud of the overall effort.”

Sophomore Asher Nolting set a program-record and career-high with six assists and tied the program-record with nine points (three goals, six assists). Junior Ben Baker tied the team-high with three goals. Senior Tim Troutner made 11 saves for the Panthers.

“I just thought he did a great job,” Torpey said. “With Asher [Nolting] it’s always multiple parts. He can dodge and score, he can dodge and feed and he can ride. I think in the last couple of weeks, him, Jake Schleppy and Chris Young have done such an incredible job of running our offense and buying into coach Kenny’s [Broschart] plan. Kenny had a great plan today and those guys executed on it.”

Baker opened the second half scoring off an assist from junior Dalton Sulver to put the Panthers up 7-4. After an Air Force goal, Nolting scored two straight to put the Panthers up 9-5 with assists from Sulver and freshman Hunter Vines. The Falcons responded with a goal then sophomore Riley Smith scored the first goal of his career off an assist from senior Jake Schleppy. Sophomore Sean Coughlin ended the third quarter with a goal off of the fourth Nolting assist of day to put the Panthers up 11-6 after three quarters.

Redshirt senior Chris Young scored his second goal of the day and Nolting tied his career-high with five assists to opening the fourth quarter. Vines put the Panthers up 13-6 with an assist from Nolting to set the program record for assists in a game at six. Air Force closed the game on a 3-0 run to set the final score at 13-9

In the first half, Coughlin got the scoring started for HPU off an assist from Nolting. The Falcons responded with two goals then junior Ben Baker scored to tie the game at 2-2 off Nolting’s second assist of the day.

Baker scored his second goal of the game two minutes into the second quarter off an assist from Coughlin. Nolting scored to put the Panthers up 4-2 then Young scored off Nolting’s third assist to give HPU a 5-2 lead. Senior Jake Schleppy scored 3:45 left in the first half to give the Purple & White a 6-2 lead, but the Falcons closed the half with two goals to cut HPU’s lead to 6-4.

Troutner made seven saves in the first half. The Purple & White picked up 13 ground balls and caused six turnovers in the first half. High Point put eight of its 11 first half shots on goal, while Air Force had 11 of 27 shots on goal in the opening half.

Junior Davis Sampere led HPU at the face-off ‘X’ winning 11-23, eight of which came in the second half. Coughlin set a career-high in goals, while Vines had a career day in assists. Redshirt sophomore Chris Price and sophomore Colin Clothier led HPU with two caused turnovers, while senior Griff Caligiuri and junior Nick Wlash grabbed a team-high four ground balls.

Despite the loss, senior Jack Flynn scored three goals for Air Force.

Up next, the Panthers will travel to Macon, Ga. to take on Southern Conference foe Macon. The opening face-off is set for 1:30 p.m.