HPU Women’s Lacrosse Upended At Coastal Carolina, 15-12

• Juniors Kristina Renner and Leah Pace each posted four points on three goals and an assist to lead the Panthers offensively
• Freshman Erica Perrotta added her first career hat trick while causing a career-best four turnovers
• The Panthers return to action Sunday vs. Campbell inside Vert Stadium (3 p.m.)

CONWAY, S.C. – The High Point University women’s lacrosse team fell at Coastal Carolina by the score of 15-12 on Friday evening at CCU Soccer Stadium.

HPU trailed by just one (9-8) with 20:06 left in the game, but Coastal Carolina used a 4-0 run over the next seven minutes to build a four-goal cushion (13-9) it would not relinquish.

“I’m disappointed with our execution today,” head coach Lyndsey Boswell said. “I thought we had the right game plan going in but we started off slow and our shots weren’t placed well. I have faith that our girls will turn things around before we play again on Sunday.”

Shots were even in the game (24-24), but the Chanticleers held advantages in ground balls (16-10) and draw controls (17-12). HPU was +4 in turnover margin (11-15) and converted a solid 3-of-4 (.750) free position attempts on the day.

Juniors Kristina Renner and Leah Pace each posted four points on three goals and an assist to lead the Panthers offensively. Pace also picked up three ground balls and caused two turnovers in a strong all-around effort. Renner’s four-point effort marked a career-high for the East Rochester, N.Y., native.

Freshman Erica Perrotta added her first career hat trick while causing a career-best four turnovers. The Roseland, N.J. native also picked up a team-high three draw controls on the day. Juniors Allie Foard and Emily Meier each notched two points (1g, 1a) for the Panthers.

Goals from Foard and Pace gave HPU a 2-0 lead seven minutes into the game, but Coastal answered with two goals over a three-minute stretch to tie the contest at 2-2. Pace put HPU back up 3-2 with a score at the 13:37 mark of the opening half, but three goals in less than two minutes from CCU gave the Chanticleers a 5-3 lead with 9:40 to play in the stanza.

From there, a pair of goals from Renner fueled a 3-0 surge by HPU over the next three minutes as High Point retook the lead at 6-5 with 6:29 to play in the half. Coastal scored the final three goals of the period to take an 8-6 lead into the break.

Coastal extended the lead to 9-6 at the 28:34 mark of the second half, but back-to-back free position goals from Perrotta and Renner pulled HPU back within one (9-8) with 20 minutes play. But Coastal used a 4-0 run from there to go up 13-9 and the Panthers could not move closer than three for the remainder of the game.

With the victory, Coastal Carolina improves to 7-4 (2-1 Big South).

HPU (4-8, 2-1) is back in action Sunday at Vert Stadium when the Panthers take on Campbell (3-10, 0-3) at 3 p.m.