HPU MLAX Panthers Drop Road Contest To No. 20 Richmond

Site: Richmond, Va. (Robins Stadium)
Score: #14/#20 Richmond 17, High Point 10
Records: High Point (2-5, 1-1), #14/#20 Richmond (4-3, 3-0)
Next HPU Event: Saturday, April 3rd vs Bellarmine in Vert Stadium

RICHMOND, Va. — The High Point University men’s lacrosse team fell to #14/#20 Richmond 17-10 on Friday (March 26th) evening. The Panthers had three multigoal scorers as Kevin Rogers, Asher Nolting, and Dalton Sulver each scored two goals on the night. Nolting led the way in points for HPU with three as he scored two goals and added an assist. Seven Panthers scored for HPU on Friday night.

“All credit goes to Richmond and its coaching staff,” head coach Jon Torpey said. “Quite simply, from the beginning to the end they were the better team in every facet of the game today. I’m looking forward to seeing the way our guys respond to this effort as we move on in our season.”

The game started with both defenses on full display in the first half of the first quarter. The two sides held each other at zeros through a little under ten minutes in the first quarter. After just six minutes of play, The Panthers were outshooting the Spiders 6-1. With six minutes remaining The Spiders went on a 3-0 run. Hunter Vines ended the run with a goal as he scored on the run. The first quarter ended with Richmond leading 5-1.

The Spiders scored three goals to start the second quarter. HPU answered with a momentum-shifting goal as Nolting scored a behind-the-back goal as the Panthers were man-up to make it 8-2. The Panther offense started to get rolling as Michael Ippolito scored his first goal of the season just 47 seconds after Nolting’s goal to bring the score to 8-3. Richmond answered with a goal of their own to push the lead back out to 9-3. With 3:47 remaining in the first half Sulver scored his first of the day as he drove towards the goal and scored as he fell down for an impressive scoring sequence. Sulver made it 9-4 with less than four to play in the half. Richmond took a 10-4 lead into the break.

Richmond opened the third with a goal to extend the Spider lead to seven. With 10:50 to play, Rogers scored his first goal of the day as he created space and fired a hard shot to make it 11-5. After a Spider goal, HPU rattled off a three-goal run. Koby Russell scored on a rocket of a shot to make it 12-6 with 8:24 left in the third. Brayden Mayea continued the Panther run with a goal off of a precise pass from Nolting, (12-7). Rogers scored his second of the day off of a feed from Vines. Rogers gave the Panthers eight and made the score 12-8 with 1:26 to play in the third. HPU ended the third quarter with a three-goal run to bring themselves within four heading into the final quarter of the game.

Richmond scored two goals in the first two minutes of the fourth to push their lead to six goals. Nolting and Sulver both scored their second goals of the day in the fourth quarter to give the Panthers 10. Richmond would score five goals in the fourth to win 17-10.

After what will be 49 days away from Vert Stadium the Panthers return to host Bellarmine on Saturday, April 3rd at noon. The game will be streamed on ESPN+.