Site: Vert Stadium (High Point, N.C.)
Score: High Point 9, #1 North Carolina 23
Records: High Point (1-6), North Carolina (10-0)
HIGH POINT, N.C. – The High Point University women’s lacrosse team dropped a 23-9 Wednesday night result to #1 North Carolina. Abby Hormes led way for HPU with five goals.
Lyndsey Boswell: I am proud of the way our girls came out today and competed as a unit. I feel like we had some really great moments. UNC is the top team in the country for a reason and they had a great day, I have a lot of respect for that program. I am glad we got the opportunity to play the number one team in the country at our home field and I think it will help us as we hope to win another conference championship and return to the NCAA Tournament.
UNC opened up the game with a goal in their first possession, but High Point answered quickly as Mena Loescher found Abby Hormes for the equalizer with 12:51 left in the opening quarter.
The Tar Heels regained the lead, but HPU responded as Nicole Pugh found Hormes for another goal to tie the game at two goals apiece.
The Panthers took their first lead on a goal by Loescher from Pugh. Pia Cavallaro got in on the scoring action to give High Point the 4-2 lead at the first quarter media timeout.
Hormes earned the hat trick with a backhanded shovel shot with just over a minute left in the opening frame. She pushed the Panther lead to three, 5-2.
There was a thirty-four-minute weather delay (tornado warning) right as the first quarter ended.
The Tar Heels started off the second quarter with three unanswered goals to tie the game, but Hormes’ fourth goal of the game took back the Panther lead.
A UNC 6-0 run gave the visitors an 11-6 lead with less than five minutes remaining in the half. The UNC run continued with the Tarheels up 13-6, but a Kay Rosselli goal with 22.4 left to cut the deficit back to six at halftime, 13-7.
The Tar Heels scored to start the half to make it 14-7. With 10:32 to play in the third Pugh took herself and scored to make it 14-8.
Carolina answered with two goals within a two-minute span to take a 16-8 lead with 3:51 to play in the third.
Hormes scored her fifth of the day with 2:33 left in the third to bring HPU within seven.
Carolina added one more and made it 17-9 at the end of the third quarter.
UNC would add six more goals in the fourth quarter and went on to win 23-9.
Up Next: HPU heads to Lynchburg on Saturday, March 26th to take on Liberty for a 12 p.m. start.