HPU Women’s Soccer Earns 2-0 Home Win Over USC Upstate

• High Point picked up a 2-0 win over USC Upstate to close out non-conference play on Thursday.
• The win gives the Panthers its best record versus non-conference opponents in program history.
• Redshirt-junior Kelsey Perrell and freshman Tyler Gordon scored their first goals of the season for HPU.

HIGH POINT, N.C. – The High Point University women’s soccer team defeated USC Upstate 2-0 in its last non-conference game of the regular season at Vert Stadium on Thursday night.

The Panthers move to 5-1-3 on the season and record its fifth shutout of the season. The Spartans drop to 1-7-1.

With the win, the Panthers have posted the best record against non-conference opponents in program history

“I love the energy the girls came out with tonight. We challenged them this week at practice,” head coach Beall said. “USC Upstate is a well-coached team, and we fought hard to break them down. We asked them to work their tails off, and I’m very proud of them. I thought they did a fantastic job from the beginning of the game to the end.”

The Panthers took the lead in the first half when redshirt-junior Kelsey Perrell scored in the 20th minute from an assist by sophomore Bri Jean-Charles. Perrell pounced on a rebound after a Spartan defender blocked Jean-Charles’ shot and unleashed a firecracker into the far-side netting. The goal was her first of the season.

High Point nearly doubled its lead 10 minutes into the second half when sophomore Taylor Romano fired a 25-yard shot that was saved off the post. The ball rebounded off the post and trickled along the goal line where the USC Upstate dove on it before it could cross over.

The score remained 1-0 until the 71st minute when freshman Tyler Gordon scored the first goal of her High Point career. Gordon curled a 15-yard shot into the top far corner from the right side of the penalty area to put HPU ahead 2-0.

The Panthers dominated possession on the night and outshot the Spartans, 24-3, including 13 shots on goal to one. Sophomore keeper Alex Persiani was not called on much in the contest, but came away with one save for her third shutout of the season.

High Point opens up its conference slate at Longwood University (3-4-0) on September 27 at 7 pm. Last year, the Panthers defeated the Lancers last year 3-0 with goals from Jenny Marshall, Paige Rombach, and Becca Rolfe.