Site: High Point, N.C. (Vert Stadium)
Score: High Point 6, Gardner-Webb 1
Records: High Point (5-0, 4-0), Gardner-Webb (2-3, 2-2)
Next HPU Event: Sunday, March 14th, — vs Charleston Southern (Charleston, S.C.)
HIGH POINT, N.C. — The High Point University women’s soccer team (5-0,4-0) demonstrated how explosive its offense can be as the Panthers won 6-1 over Gardner-Webb on Wednesday (March 10) night. HPU scored six goals as four different Panthers scored. Juliette Vidal and Salomé Prat each provided a brace for the Panthers in the five-goal win. The Panthers entered the contest as one of three teams in the nation to not allow a goal through 300 or more minutes played. The Panther defense was dominant again tonight, through five contests the Panthers have only allowed one goal.
“Overall an amazing result for our girls, we are really excited to come away with this win,” Coach Brandi Fontaine said following the 6-1 win. “It was a big game for us that we had marked off for this year. Losing that game in the semifinal last year really stung so to come out and put in the performance that we did tonight, I could not be prouder of the group.”
Through the first twenty minutes, both sides matched each other with neither side able to grab the advantage in the early going. In the 25th minute, the HPU offensive eruption began as already two-time Big South Freshman of the Week winner Prat put HPU on the board first with a goal. Skyler Prillaman took a shot that bounced off the leg of the Gardner-Webb goalkeeper Sam Gerhart got a touch on it that knocked the ball into the middle of the box where Prat was able to finish and provide HPU a one-goal lead. Three minutes later, in the 28th minute, HPU added to its lead as Vidal buried a penalty kick to give High Point a 2-0 lead. In what was a physical game HPU earned another penalty kick late in the first half the in 45th minute. Vidal again stepped up to take the PK and sunk it providing a three-goal lead for the Panthers at the break.
The Panthers settled back in after halftime, twenty minutes in the Panthers found their fourth goal of the night as Prillaman headed in a ball from Prat that just bounced over the line and in to give High Point a four-goal lead in the 65th minute. Gardner-Webb answered less than 30 seconds later scoring the lone Gardner-Webb goal.
High Point responded after letting up the goal, scoring again for the fifth time of the night. HPU answered in the 67th minute as Lauren Mazich picked up her second goal of the season. The goal gave HPU a 5-1 advantage.
The Purple & White scored one more time right before time expired in the 90th minute as Prat picked up her second of the day which was assisted by Carsyn Gold.
Through just five games High Point has exploded for 18 goals on the year. HPU has outscored opponents this season 18-1. It was a historic night for HPU as they matched the High Point school record for shots with 33 and scored the second-most goals in a single game in program history with six.
UP NEXT: The Panthers look to keep it rolling as they travel to Charleston Southern on Sunday, March 14th to take on the Buccaneers in another Big South contest. Kickoff is at 3:00 PM.