Site: Vert Stadium (High Point, N.C.)
Score: High Point 18, Mercer 12
Records: High Point 8-8, (7-1), Mercer 11-4 (7-1)
HIGH POINT, N.C. — The High Point University women’s lacrosse team picked up its seventh straight win as they handed Mercer their first conference loss of the season by a score of 18-12 at Vert Stadium on Saturday (April 23) afternoon. Abby Hormes led the way in scoring for the Panthers again with six goals on the day. She now has a total of 383 points and is 17 points away from becoming the sixth women’s college lacrosse player to eclipse 400 points. Taylor Suplee recorded a season-high 16 saves.
Coach Lyndsey Boswell: “My girls were locked in today. We had a great game plan and they did a really nice job following it. It’s always good to get a win at home, especially on senior day. Celebrating our seniors this weekend has been really special. I am excited for the team right now.
Panther Particulars
Nicole Pugh got the Panthers on the board first as she connected with Julia Nicastro to score the opening goal of the game.
Mena Loescher doubled the lead on the following offensive possession to put the Panthers up 2-0 early.
Mercer cut the lead in half with 9:27 left in the first quarter to make it a 2-1 game, but Abby Hormes was able to bring the Panther lead back to two goals on the following offensive possession.
The back and forth action continued as Mercer responded with a goal to make it 3-2. The Bears scored two consecutive goals to take a 4-3 lead.
Pia Cavallaro scored 56 seconds later to even the game at four goals apiece.
Kay Rosselli regained the lead for the Panthers with a free-position goal to take a 5-4 lead, but the Bears tied it at five goals apiece.
Emma Genovese gave the Panthers a 6-5 lead with 12:03 remaining in the second quarter with a free-position goal.
Hormes put the Panthers up by two with her second goal of the day, bringing the score to 7-5, but the Bears cut the Panther lead to one with a free-position goal.
Rosselli brought the Panther lead back up to two after Loescher connected with her at the face of the goal.
Mercer found one back, but Mandy Brockamp scored her first of the day to bring the score to 9-7 with 6:11 remaining in the opening half. That didn’t stop Mercer though as they scored 47 seconds later to make it a 9-8 game.
Esprit Cha split two Mercer defenders to score her first of the day to extend the Panther lead to two goals, but Mercer responded with a goal of their own.
Hormes scored her third of the day in a transition opportunity with Pugh to put HPU up 11-9 heading into the halftime break. She scored two more goals to open up the second half and extend the Panther lead to four.
Mercer put a stop to the Hormes scoring run with a goal of their own to make it 13-10 with 10:21 to go in the third quarter, but Loescher got it back to bring the HPU lead back to four.
Pugh brought the score to 16-11 with a free position goal in the final three minutes of play in the third quarter, before Hormes scored her sixth of the day to extend the Panther lead to six.
The Bears scored a free position goal, but the Panthers didn’t stop the offensive pressure as Rosselli scored to make it an 18-12 game with 11:34 remaining.
Up Next
HPU will play their regular-season finale on the road on Wednesday as they travel to Boiling Springs to face Gardner-Webb on Wednesday (April 27). The first draw is set for 4 pm.