Site: Vert Stadium (High Point, N.C.)
Score: High Point 14, #10 Duke 18
Records: High Point (2-3), #10 Duke (6-2)
HIGH POINT, N.C. — The High Point University men’s lacrosse team fell to #10 Duke 18-14. In just his second game as Panther, Jack Sawyer exploded for four goals and had an assist. Asher Nolting had eight points with three goals and five assists. Brayden Mayea also had three goals on the night.
Coach Torpey: “Hats off to Duke they played a hard-fought game and capitalized a few more times than us. I felt like we came out strong, had some great answers throughout the game but the 3rd quarter really put us on our heels. We got some great individual performances tonight, I thought Asher and Jack Sawyer were elite along with some others. I’m excited to watch this team respond and continue to grow. We have a great opponent coming in here on Saturday so there is no time to rest.”
Panther Particulars
HPU opened the first quarter on a 3-0 run. Nolting provided the first goal after a Mayea hit knocked the ball loose on a huge hit, Jack Vanoverbeke found an open Nolting for the goal. The electric series put HPU up 1-0.
Nolting kept the Panther drive rolling with another goal for a quick two.
Nick Rizzo scored a third straight to give his Panthers a third to add the lead.
Duke scored two consecutive goals in the last three minutes of the first half.
HPU took a 3-2 lead after one.
A 4-0 run from Duke gave them a 4-3 lead in the second quarter with less than nine minutes to go.
Mayea scored a turnaround goal with 8:25 to go as he spun as he shot and released the ball with his back completely to the goal. Mayea’s highlight-reel goal tied the game at four.
With 6:57 to play in the second quarter, Jack Sawyer scored his first goal as a Panther to break up the tie.
Nolting added another with 6:20 to play in the second to give his Panthers a two-goal lead.
With 3:40 left Duke had taken a two-goal lead after scoring four goals in less than three minutes.
Sawyer scored his second goal of the night and his Panther career to bring HPU back within one.
With 1:44 left, it became a Sawyer hat trick which tied the game at 8.
Nick Murphy scored on a man-up with 30 seconds left in the first half to give HPU a 9-8 lead at halftime.
Duke scored two quick to start the second half to take a 10-9 lead. Sawyer responded with his fourth goal on the night to tie the game at 10 with 11:06 to go in the third quarter.
Vanoverbeke scored with just a little less than five minutes to play in the first half to bring High Point back within two.
It was 14-11, Duke led at the end of the third quarter.
Just 15 seconds into the fourth quarter, Mayea capitalized on the man-up chance for HPU and brought HPU back into the game as Duke only lead 14-12.
Vines scored the Panthers 13th of the day with less than six minutes to play in the game.
Mayea added one more for HPU with 4:03 to go to bring the score to the ultimate decision of 18-14.
Up Next: The Panthers stay at home in Vert Stadium on Saturday as they host Bellarmine. The first face-off is set for noon.