Matt Long and Chris Michener combined for High Point's first shutout of the season in goal and Richard Hanson and Chris Archer scored to help the Panthers claim a 2-0 win over homestanding Georgia Southern Saturday afternoon on the opening day of the Georgia Southern/Nike Invitational.

The Panthers (4-3-0) shattered a three-game skid with the win, and will face Stetson (a 4-1 winner over Big South member Winthrop) on Sunday at 1:30 pm. Georgia Southern dropped to 2-2-2.

"It was a great team effort," HPU head coach Peter Broadleysaid. "We got back into our rhythm of scoring early, and we were able to keep them off the board in the second half."

The Panthers opened the scoring in the 17th minute when Blake Roth launched a long throw-in to Hanson, who headed it past Georgia Southern keeper Adam Webb for a 1-0 lead. HPU increased its advantage to 2-0 in the 37th minute after Patrick Althoff took the ball all the way down the field and eventually found Archer, who rocketed a shot into the net. Roth also tallied an assist on the play to become the first Panther this season to collect a pair of assists in the same game.

Long and Michener each played a half in goal for the Panthers, who got solid play from Kyle De Klerk in the center of the defense, Hanson in the midfield and Kurtis Eckard, who came off the bench to save a GSU shot at the line.

"Kurtis gave us tremendous effort off the bench," Broadley said. "Overall I'm very pleased with today. Our whole team played well."