Site: Radford, Va. (Patrick D. Cupp Memorial Stadium)
Score: High Point 1, Radford 0
Records: High Point (7-0, 6-0), Radford (5-2-1, 4-2-1)
Next HPU Event: Saturday, April 3rd vs Presbyterian in Vert Stadium at 4:00 PM
RADFORD, Va. – The High Point University women’s soccer team picked up its seventh straight win of the season with a 1-0 victory over Radford on Sunday (March 28) afternoon. Sam Gerhart scored the lone goal in the contest off of a Carsyn Gold taken corner kick in the first half. With the win High Point improves to 7-0 and picks up its sixth shutout of the year. HPU is 6-0 in the Big South and remains the only unbeaten team in the conference.
“Really proud of the fight we played with today,” Coach Brandi Fontaine said after the 1-0-win. “Radford is a hardworking team that always competes. Our girls fought through some adversity today and played with a lot of heart. We have some things to improve on as we come down to the home stretch of games, but for now, we will enjoy this victory.”
The Panthers started the first fifteen minutes of the contest outshooting the Highlanders 3-0. HPU had a quality chance in the early going as in the 6th minute Alex Deperno sent a ball into the box off a free-kick and Gerhart shot and had it stopped. It was a dangerous moment for the Highlanders as Gerhart’s shot was stopped by a Highlander defender as the keeper was out of position. High Point had possession for a majority of the first half, the Panthers made a big stop in the 24th minute as Radford had a one on one opportunity that was stopped by London Lewis and the Panther defense.
In the 27th minute, High Point was able to strike first, Gold sent a ball into the box off of a corner kick as Gerhart was able to get her head on it and score as the ball got across the line and in. Gerhart’s goal is her fifth of the season which ties her with Salomé Prat for the team lead in scoring.
In the 35th minute, HPU stopped a Radford shot from occurring as the Highlanders crossed one in but The Panther defense again was able to hold strong as Deperno headed the cross away. High Point almost added to its lead with 20 seconds to go in the half as the Panthers made a late surge and were able to move the ball up the field, Skyler Prillaman sent a ball through to Bri Davis and her shot was saved.
The Panthers went into the break with a one-goal lead after possessing the ball and controlling the pace of the game for a majority of the first half.
Ten minutes into the second half, Gerhart almost extended the Panther lead to two as she received the ball at the top of the box and shot it. Radford’s keeper was able to get a hand on it and knock it up and over the goal to keep it just a one-goal lead for HPU.
HPU faced a lot of pressure from the Radford offense late in the game as the Highlanders searched for the equalizer. Hairston dove and neutralized a chance for Radford as the Highlanders lobbed a nice ball into the box and Hairston made the decision to cut it off and was able to do so in the 59th minute.
One of Radford’s best chances of the day came in the 67th minute as Ashley Pandelides created space and had an opportunity to shoot in the box and missed wide left as High Point kept its 1-0 lead.
The Highlander chances continued to come but none looked as promising as their chance in the 88th minute where Hairston made a point-blank save as the redshirt freshman goalkeeper made a diving save to protect the one-goal lead. Hairston’s clutch save secured the win and brought her and her defense their sixth clean sheet of the season. Hairston entered the contest tied for 17th in the nation in shutouts with five and she now adds one to that total after Sunday’s result.
High Point is currently enjoying the third-longest win streak in the nation with seven wins in a row.
UP NEXT: The first in the Big South Panthers return to Vert Stadium on Saturday, April 3rd, to host Presbyterian College. Kickoff will be at 4:00 PM and the game will be streamed on ESPN+.