• Senior Dan Lomas scored four goals for the third straight game including the game-winner 30 second into overtime.
• Senior Matt Thistle tallied three goals and an assist in the win.
• The victory marked High Point’s second win over a ranked opponent with the first coming in double-overtime against Richmond in the 2015 Southern Conference title.
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Senior Dan Lomas took a feed from junior Sean Harrison and found the back of the net just 30 seconds into overtime to give the High Point University men’s lacrosse team a 12-11 win over No. 10 Virginia on Tuesday in Charlottesville, Va.
“I’m so proud of all our guys from our alums to all the current guys,” head coach Jon Torpey said. “Every bit of the credit goes to them and my staff. You find out your team’s true identity after a three-game losing streak and I’m so proud of th guys for their fight and execution. I have a great deal of respect for coach Starsia and his staff and Virginia kept battling all game. We will enjoy this bus ride home, then its back to business tomorrow.”
In a game of runs, the Panthers (1-3) built a 5-2 lead and then a 10-5 edge, but the Cavaliers refused to go away closing regulation on a 6-1 run. But freshman Alex Woodall won the overtime face-off to set up Lomas for the dramatic game-winner.
“We got a great face-off win from Woodall and T Moyer wanted to dodge from Sean Harrison up top,” Lomas said of the overtime goal. “I came off a little pick in and Sean found me and I just took the shot, kind of with my eyes closed, and hit a spot. That was an unbelievable experience beating that great of a team.”
Lomas led the offense with four goals for the third consecutive contest. Senior Matt Thistle added three goals and one assist on the night. Rounding out the attack, junior Michael LeClair chipped in with two goals and two assists.
In the goal, freshman Tim Troutner stepped up making 15 saves and three ground balls. Likewise, sophomore Terrell Sands had a solid outing causing two turnovers and grabbing four ground balls.
The Cavaliers earned a 41-29 edge in ground balls as Woodall led HPU with seven while going 11-of-25 in the face-off circle.
Redshirt-freshman Keegan O’Connor had his first multi-goal game on his career with two goals as junior Dallas Bridle added a tally. Likewise, redshirt-senior Nick Bittner and Harrison rounded out the scoring with one assist apiece.
UVA opened the scoring before Thistle and Lomas posted back-to-back goals to take a 2-1 edge with 7:31 on the clock. The Cavs bounced right back scoring a man-up goal with 6:32 left in the first period. However, the O’Connor scored and Lomas posted a man-up goal just over a minute later as HPU built a 4-2 advantage (4:21). A minute later, Bridle made it a 3-0 run to up the lead to 5-2. UVA moved within two with 1:18 left in the frame and then scored at the buzzer to make it 5-4 after one.
The pace slowed in the second quarter before Thistle and LeClair scored as High Point regained its three-goal lead (7-4, 7:39). But the Cavs came back and scored at the 5:40 mark to make it 7-5. From there neither team could score as Troutner finished with eight saves in the half.
LeClair started the second half in style with a rocket from left of the goal (8-5, 13:44). O’Conner, then, added to the lead scoring a backhanded goal while falling to the ground (11:35). The HPU edge swelled to 10-5 when Lomas tallied his second man-up tally of the game. Once again, UVA answered scoring with 5:10 left in the frame to head to the fourth trailing HPU 10-6.
As the final period started HPU was called for illegal equipement. The penalty time helped the Cavaliers stretch their run to 4-0 with three goals in the first six minutes of the fourth quarter. Thistle stopped the bleeding with a huge goal with 4:41 to play as the Panthers grabbed an 11-9 edge. However, UVA posted a goal with 45 seconds to pull within one (11-10, 0:45). After the Purple & White was called for their third violation of the half, the Cavs tied the score with a man-up goal with 24 seconds left.
But in overtime Woodall won the face-off to give High Point possession. After a timeout, the Panthers’ offense executed perfectly as Harrison found Lomas for the game-clincher.
The Panthers play their final of three straight road games when they head to Moon Township, Pa. to take on Robert Morris at 11 a.m.
Wow! I hope people in the area realize how big of an upset this is! UVA is a perennial national power. This win puts HPU lacrosse on the map. It looks like they play the Terps fairly tough as well.