HPU WLAX Panthers Fend off Mercer for First Win of 2021

Site: High Point, N.C. (Vert Stadium)
Score: High Point 13, Mercer 11
Records: HPU 1-1, MER 0-1
Next HPU Event: Sunday, February 21, — at No. 1 North Carolina (Chapel Hill, N.C.)

HIGH POINT, N.C. – The High Point University women’s lacrosse team picked up its first win of the 2021 campaign with a 13-11 win over Mercer University on Sunday afternoon (Feb. 14). Graduate student Ashley Britton led the way with four goals while senior Abby Hormes added three on a game-high 11 shots.

“We did face a little adversity today, but I’m proud of our girls to overcome that and just be able to get the win,” said head coach Lyndsey Boswell after the win. “It wasn’t pretty at times – it was a game of momentum swings – but I’m really proud of the girls and how they finished the game. Its good to get that first win, Friday night was just really tough loss after doing so many things well so just to see our girls get this win tonight and overcome a lot of adversity throughout the weekend shows good promise moving forward.”

Britton got the Panthers on the board just over three minutes into the contest. The Annandale, Va. native now has 111 career goals and needs just four more to jump into the top-five all-time leading scoring list for the program. Mercer responded less than a minute later to tie the game up at one. The goals were plentiful in the opening minutes of the game, with High Point taking the lead back just 27 seconds later on a goal from Hormes, only to have the Bears make it 2-2 on their next possession.

After each team added another goal, a defensive battle ensued, as neither team scored a goal for just over 10 minutes. The Panthers’ defense was stout in the opening frame and forced 18 turnovers in the first half. The Purple and White also won the battle on the ground, collecting 19 ground balls in the half as opposed to Mercer’s nine.

Rachel Foster broke the scoring drought with her first goal of the season to put High Point ahead at the game’s first media timeout. Hormes added her second tally of the game right out of the timeout to stretch the lead to two, 5-3. Today marked the 35th career multi-goal game for the senior, who has now scored in six straight dating back to last year’s shortened season.

Back-to-back free position goals from Mercer tied the game at five, two of five free-position goals for the Bears in the contest. High Point responded before the break when freshman Kay Rosselli broke the tie with her first collegiate goal before Kaely Kyle picked up her fifth goal of the young season to put HPU up two at the half, 7-5.

Emma Genovese got the scoring started in the second half, tallying her second of the season with a helper from Mena Loescher. High Point started to pour it on, Britton and Hormes each picking up hat-trick goals to double up the Bears and put High Point on top, 10-5. The Panthers’ defense did not allow a goal for the first 13 minutes of the second half, conceding only five shots during the stretch. Mercer scored two unanswered to cut the lead to 10-7 before a Britton free position goal got HPU back on the board.

Mercer refused to go away, picking up three more goals in a 56-second span to make it an 11-10 game with just under 10 minutes to play. The Purple and White responded with consecutive goals of their own from Kyle and Nicole Pugh to push the lead back to three. Late in the game, High Point went down a player after a yellow card and the Bears used the advantage to find the back of the net with 1:27 to play to make it a two-goal game. Megan Nerney had a crucial draw control for HPU to win possession after the tally and allow the Panthers to run out the clock and hold on for the win, 13-11.

Up Next: High Point will be back in action when it travels to Chapel Hill to take on North Carolina next Sunday (Feb. 21). The Tar Heels are currently the No. 1-ranked team in the nation and will host Florida on Friday (Feb. 19) before the Panthers. Sunday’s game will be broadcast nationally on ACC Network and slated for a 4 p.m. start.