HPU Women’s Soccer Falls On The Road To UNC Greensboro, 1-0

GREENSBORO, N.C. – The High Point University women’s soccer team fell to UNC Greensboro by a score of 1-0 in a physical defensive battle on Sunday afternoon in Greensboro, N.C. Junior Becca Hemby led HPU with two shots in the game, putting both on frame.

“I feel like we performed very well in the first half here today,” head coach Marty Beall said. “We did a good job keeping possession and I thought we did a good job getting into the attacking third but unfortunately weren’t dangerous enough once we got there. In the second half UNCG showed they wanted the game a little more and we needed to do a better job responding.”

The first half of the contest was a back-and-forth affair between the Panthers and Spartans. Both squads did well to earn possession of the ball in the midfield but neither was able to fully breakdown the opposing defense in the final third.

HPU had the best scoring chance of either team in the opening 45 minutes when both Hemby and junior Taylor Parker forced one-on-one saves by UNC Greensboro keeper Jamie Simmons in the 29th minute. Hemby got behind the defense on a ball over the top and corralled it 10-yards from net. The midfielder turned to shoot but the attempt was knocked away by the onrushing Simmons. The rebound hit off towards the left post where Parker attempted to score but Simmons managed to just push the shot away.

The score remained locked at 0-0 until the 67th minute when the Spartans’ Ashley Stokes scored the lone goal of the game. Stokes received a long ball from the right back and cut across a defender to the left before beating HPU keeper Jesse May with a shot back to the right post.

Hemby nearly tied the game in the 82nd minute when her header off a free kick forced a diving stop by Simmons. The Panthers earned a free kick about 40-yards away from goal on the right side and junior Brooke Lisson lofted a high ball into the box. Hemby redirected the ball to the far post but Simmons managed to get her fingertips on the shot to preserve the lead.

The loss drops HPU’s record on the season to 1-3-3. The Panthers have become accustom to tight games as all but one of High Point’s contest this season have been decided by one goal or finished tied. UNC Greensboro improves to 3-3-0 with the win.

After four-straight games away from Vert Stadium, the Panthers will next return home to face inter-triad rival Elon on Friday, Sept. 14 at 7 p.m. High Point is 1-12-4 all-time against the Phoenix. Last season, HPU dropped a 2-0 decision on the road in Elon, N.C.