In a rematch of last year's Big South final, defending champion and No. 5-seeded High Point eliminated top-seeded UNC Asheville with a 3-1 win in the semifinals of the 2004 Big South Women's Soccer Championship Friday night at Blackbaud Stadium in Charleston, S.C. 

The Panthers (11-8-0) advance to Saturday's championship game (7:00 pm), and will meet second-seeded Birmingham-Southern (a 3-2 overtime winner over Charleston Southern on Friday night) for the right to represent the Big South in the NCAA Tournament. Click here for live stats.

The Panthers recorded three first-half goals to take command of the game. Jen Evans, a first-team All-Conference selection this season, scored the game's first goal at 13:58, and teammate Emily Lanham gave the Panthers a 2-0 advantage at the 26:12 mark. Less than 10 minutes later, High Point went up 3-0 on Wendy Williams' goal, which was assisted by Evans. 

UNC Asheville (11-6-2) opened the second half with a quick score when Big South Player of the Year Emily Langill cut HPU's lead 3-1 at the 47:04 mark.  But the Bulldogs could not trim the Panthers' advantage lead any further, mustering just three shots on goal in the second stanza.

Courtney Noel made four saves in goal for the Panthers, who have allowed one goal or less in 14 of their 19 contests this season.

High Point has eliminated the Bulldogs from the last two Big South Tournaments, including last season's dramatic title game (won by the Panthers in a penalty-kick shootout).

HPU is the first Big South team to advance to the tournament final in consecutive years since UNCA accomplished the feat in 2002 and 2003. It's also the third straight season that the No. 1 seed will not participate in the championship game.

QUOTES
High Point head coach Tracie Foels
"Our kids battled hard today.  It was a tough, physical game and we hung in there.  It was great to get a three-goal lead, but we knew it was not over."

"They scored a great goal in the second half and put a lot of pressure on us, but we hung in there.  We continued to play our game."

UNC Asheville head coach Michelle Cornish
"All three goals were due to our mistakes defensively. We had an injury at one of our center defender positions and the inexperience there hurt us."

"I never expected this team to lay down and they did not.  We fought hard as we could. High Point was better today."