Site: Nashville, Tenn. (Vanderbilt Stadium)
Score: Vanderbilt 17, High Point 13
Records: Vanderbilt 4-2, High Point 1-5
Next HPU Event: March 11th, — at Duke at 5:00 PM (Durham, N.C.)
NASHVILLE, TENN. – The High Point University women’s lacrosse team fell to Vanderbilt on Sunday afternoon 17-13. Ashley Britton was HPU’s leading scorer on the day with five points as she scored four goals and added an assist. Abby Hormes was second in goals scored for HPU in the game as she scored three on the day. The Panthers finished with five players scoring multiple goals on the day.
The Panthers struck first just 46 seconds into the game as Kaely Kyle picked up her tenth goal of the season to put HPU up 1-0. The goal from Kyle with 29:14 remaining on the clock was the fastest goal High Point has scored to start a game this season. Vanderbilt quickly answered to tie the game at one nearly a minute later. Kyle drew a foul as she drove towards the cage earning a free position opportunity. The senior finished for her 11th of the season which put High Point up 2-1. The Panthers started to build a lead as Hormes scored to give HPU the lead 3-1. The goal was her 149th career goal which makes her the program leader in goals scored as she passed High Point great Erica Perrotta.
The back and forth action continued as Vanderbilt responded with a goal less than one minute after, but just 30 seconds later Britton was able to speed past her defenders to put the Panthers up 4-2.
After Vanderbilt tied the score up at 4, High Point’s Mena Loescher scored her fourth of the season off a quick restart. The Commodore defense was caught off guard and Loescher took advantage and found the back of the net to put the Panthers up 5-4.
Britton found the back of the net for the third time in the first half as she took on her defender one on one and was able to score on the run, giving the Panthers an 8-7 lead with 2 minutes left in the half. However, the Commodores were able to find a goal back with three seconds remaining in the half to tie the score at 8 heading into the break.
The back and forth pace continued out of the break as they scored a goal a minute into the second half.
The Panthers got some momentum going after Loescher and Britton both found the back of the net to put the Purple & White back on top by a score of 10-9.
Vanderbilt was able to stop the momentum for the time being as they tied things up at 10, but Hormes scored her third goal of the day shortly after that as she ran through the middle of the field beating her defender.
With only six minutes remaining in regulation, Rachel Foster scored her second goal in five minutes as she received a pass from Loescher right in front of the goal and Foster was able to score on an impressive shot as she scored with a majority of her body turned away from the goal on the run.
The Commodores added to their lead late in the game, scoring the last three goals of the contest to bring the final score to 17-13.
Up next, the Panthers will head to Durham to face No. 11 Duke on Thursday. The game is set for 5 p.m.