Playing down a man for all but two minutes, High Point scored first but couldn't hold on and fell to host Mercer, 5-1, Saturday night in nonconference men's soccer action in Macon, Ga.

The Panthers (2-5-1) dropped their second straight match after a three-match unbeaten streak.

Despite being outshot 23-6, the Panthers struck first. After a hand ball inside the box, HPU was awarded a penalty kick. Danny Kitching's shot deflected off Mercer keeper Jonathan Riley and found the lower right corner to give the Panthers a 1-0 lead.

HPU's Kirk Rudder was sent off in just the 2nd minute of play with a red card following a tackle whistled for a foul, forcing the Panthers to play the rest of the match with 10 men.

Mercer (4-2) came roaring back following Kitching's goal. The Bears tied the score in the 32nd minute when Mark Donnelly rifled a shot past HPU keeper Eric Lona.

Mercer exploded in the second half and scored four goals over a 16-minute span to put the match out of reach. Del Olaoye notched his fourth tally of the year when he took a cross and headed it past Lona for the game winner and a 2-1 lead.

James Jordan missed a penalty kick in the 70th minute but scored off
the rebound  to give the hosts a 3-1 lead. And Zack Rozier found the back of the net twice in a 3:48 span to give the Bears a commanding 5-1 cushion.

"I don't think the score is indicative of how we played," HPU head coach Peter Broadley said. "It was very close for two-thirds of the game until they broke it open. But we played very hard a man down and tried to shuttle in as many subs as possible to keep fresh legs out there."

High Point plays a mid-week road game at East Carolina Wednesday before returning home for Saturday's Homecoming matchup with Mount Olive at Albion-Millis Stadium.