Site: Chapel Hill, N.C. (Dorrance Field)
Score: #2 Duke 16, High Point 10
Records: High Point 8-6 (4-1 SoCon), #2 Duke 13-2 (4-2 ACC)
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — The High Point University Men’s Lacrosse team had their historic season come to an end after the Panthers made their second trip to the NCAA Tournament. HPU fell to Duke 16-10 on Sunday night (May 16). Asher Nolting led the way in scoring for the Purple & White as he had four points on the night in his NCAA Tournament debut.
Head Coach Jon Torpey: “Incredibly proud of our guys’ effort, this has been a challenging year in so many respects and to get the leadership that we have gotten from our seniors and to have the guys underneath them follow them how they have, has been tremendous. You don’t do that without a great senior class, fantastic staff, and a group of guys that just buy into what you do. Hats off to Duke, that’s a tremendous team, in 21 years of coaching I don’t know if I have ever seen a team that is that complete from top to bottom. Offensively, defensively, the guys they throw out at you at the faceoff X, the goalie was fantastic today. An unbelievably well-coached team and a team that is about as opportunistic of a team as I have ever coached against as well.”
Graduate Student Kevin Rogers: “First off, I want to say thank you to the team, Coach Torpey, and all the coaching staff for even allowing me to be a part of this fantastic program. Coming from Division III to Division 1 I mean, you guys can see it this stadium, to play in front of thousands of people like this has always been a dream of mine. I am extremely grateful. The guys on the team took me in under their arms and now they are my brothers and I am a part of the High Point family forever. It’s been such a blessing and it has been so cool to be a part of something like this.”
Panther Particulars
- After a 4-0 Blue Devil run, The Panthers found an answer as time expired at the end of the first. Brayden Mayea shined on the biggest stage he has seen yet in his young career, he scored the opening goal for the Panthers. In an electric sequence, Jack Vanoverbeke threw a beautiful check as Duke’s goalie attempted to clear by coming out of the crease. The check knocked the ball loose, Mayea picked it up and scored on an empty net with less than ten seconds left in the first quarter.
- The open net goal brought Mayea the 36th goal of his freshman season.
- Nolting scored his first NCAA Tournament goal with 13:42 to go in the second half. He was assisted by fellow senior Sean Coughlin.
- Colin Clothier provided a great sequence with 9:01 remaining in what was a great example of rewarding good behavior, Clothier caused a turnover with the help of Joel Scerbo. Scerbo scooped it up passed it off the Mayea who found a wide-open Clothier who buried a shot from deep to make it a 5-3 game in the second quarter.
- Kevin Rogers made the most of his D-1 NCAA Tournament debut scoring two goals on the evening.
- Rogers and Nolting were both selected as Inside Lacrosse Media All-Americans as announced during halftime of the game after the HPU game (Denver v. Loyola). Rogers was selected to the third team while Nolting received honorable mention honors.
- Again, with less than ten seconds to play in the second quarter, Mayea scored his 37th goal of the season and he was assisted by Nolting.
- Rogers opened the half with a goal for HPU making it two straight for the Panthers ending the year with 38 goals.
- Koby Russell scored his 8th goal of the season with less than two minutes to play in the third quarter.
- Vanoverbeke had maybe the best game of his freshman career in the NCAA First round game as he scored two goals and had the caused turnover that started the scoring for High Point.
- Tyler Stinson scored his second goal of the season in the fourth quarter.
HPU ends the season with an 8-6 record after winning its second SoCon title. High Point has now made two trips to the NCAA Tournament. The Panthers capped the night with the announcement of two All-Americans in Kevin Rogers and Asher Nolting.