HIGH POINT, N.C. – The High Point University women’s lacrosse team improved to a perfect 5-0 in the National Lacrosse Conference with a 22-7 win over Liberty at the Vert Track, Soccer and Lacrosse Stadium on Friday evening. Senior Alexis Goldman led HPU with a career-high six goals in the contest.
“I think the girls did a really great job here tonight,” head coach Lyndsey Boswell said. “I was really proud that we were able to put together a full team effort from the defense through the midfield all the way up into the attack. I was excited for all the girls to be able to contribute to the win.”
Goldman scored her six goals on nine shots with four of her six coming in the second half. Five different HPU players scored multiple goals including Mackenzie Carroll and Christie Dougherty who each picked up a hat trick with three goals. Grace Gaeng and Kelsy Mugele each had two goals in the game.
Gaeng led High Point with five assists and five draw controls while Jasmine Jordan paced the Panthers with five ground balls. Jordan and Courtney McLaughlin tied for the team lead with three caused turnovers.
Liberty was led in the game by Nina Dunay who came off the bench to score three goals for the Flames. Dunay was the only Liberty player to find the back of the net more than once. Sam Strus finished with a team-high three draw controls while Chloe McIntosh and Cammille Little each had a team-high three ground balls.
High Point improved to 11-3 overall and 5-0 in the NLC while Liberty dropped to 3-10 overall and 2-3 in the NLC.
High Point scored the first four goals of the game, jumping out to a 4-0 lead after seven minutes of play. Goldman, Carroll, Dougherty and Heather Ziccarelli all found the back of the net for HPU with all four goals coming off assists from Gaeng.
Liberty scored back-to-back goals to trim the Panthers’ lead to two at 4-2 before HPU came right back with scores by Gaeng and Goldman to reopen a four-goal advantage, 6-2, midway through the first half.
After a goal by Dunay made the score 6-3 with 12:50 remaining, High Point closed the half on an 8-0 run to take a 14-3 lead into the locker room. Dougherty picked up her second goal of the half to start the run with 9:17 remaining and was one of three players along with Carroll and Mugele to score twice during the High Point surge. Sara Kuhlman and Jasmine Jordan scored the other two goals for the Panthers.
Liberty scored the first two goals of the second half as Kristin Crowley and Candice Parsons each got a ball past Wallingford to close to within nine, 14-5, with 26:23 remaining in the game. The Flames were unable to pull any closer however as back-to-back goals by Goldman in a span of 1:19 pushed the HPU lead back above 10 at 16-5 with 23:12 left.
Liberty pulled within 10 twice, but was held without a goal over the final 18 minutes of play. The Panthers scored six-straight goals down the stretch to secure the 22-7 win. Six different players scored for HPU including sophomore defender Morgan Lambert who picked up her first career goal.
HPU junior Anna Wallingford made 10 saves in the cage to pick up the win. Liberty’s Kristen Masullo and Kristen Boland each played one half in net and made five saves for the Flames. Masullo got the start and took the loss in the contest.
The Panthers continue their season-ending three-game home stand on Sunday April 22 when they play host to the Lancers of Longwood at 1 p.m. HPU then closes out the regular season against Davidson on April 28 before playing in the NLC Tournament at Davidson May 4-6.