Jen Evans scored the only goal of the game in the 28th minute off an assist from Ryan Hays and Hannah Nail recorded her first collegiate shutout to help High Point officially open defense of its Big South championship with a 1-0 victory over Winthrop Saturday night in the Conference opener for both teams at Albion Millis Stadium.

The Panthers improve to 3-1-0 (1-0-0 in Big South play), while the Lady Eagles drop to 2-3-0 (0-1-0).

HPU is off to its best start since 1993, when the Panthers began the season 4-1-0.

Nail made three saves to earn her third win of the season in net.

High Point held a 17-8 advantage in shots, but each team mustered three shots-on-goal. Winthrop goalkeeper Vanessa Kreider made two saves.

The game's lone goal came following an HPU corner kick when the ball was blocked back into the corner. Hays lofted it to Evans, who beat Kreider from around the six-yard box line for her first goal of the season and a 1-0 Panther lead which held up.

Winthrop had a chance to tie it in the 73rd minute, when Jennifer Hensley launched a dangerous free kick from 35 yards away which sailed just over the crossbar and out of Nail's reach. 

HPU's Wendy Williams narrowly missed an insurance goal in the 78th minute when her shot from inide the box hit the crossbar and bounced away.

Nail thwarted what was probably Winthrop's best scoring opportunity in the 82nd minute when Corri Fennell took a shot from the left corner of the box, but Nail's diving save kept WU off the board.

Evans tallied a game-high seven shots for the Panthers, while Hensley led the Lady Eagles with three shots.

HPU returns to action Wednesday night at Davidson (7:00 pm).