BOX SCORE
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The High Point University men's soccer team dropped a hard-fought, 1-0, decision to defending Big South champion Winthrop Wednesday night at Vert Stadium. The Panthers outshot the Eagles 11-10 in the game and 8-5 in the second half as they attempted to come back from the one-goal deficit.

“We are disappointed to lose a conference game at home,” said head coach Dustin Fonder. “That being said I don't think we played up to our ability. Credit to Winthrop, they do a good job defensively of putting pressure on you and being organized. I think we didn't rise to the challenge and get crisper in our attack to make them pay. We struggled and were a half step off all night.”

Winthrop picked up the lone goal of the match in the 19th minute when an Eagle's free kick ran through the box from the right side past several players' feet to the far post where Daniel Di Biago tapped it into the open net from just in front of goal.

The game grew increasingly physical in the second half as High Point attempted to find an equalizer. The hard-tackling Eagles had 19 fouls called on them in the game and four yellow cards issued while HPU was called for 17 fouls.

High Point's best opportunity to score came in the 69th minute when freshman Shawn Sloan (Geneva, Ill./Geneva) earned a penalty kick after being taken down by the goalie in the box. The freshman stepped up to take the PK himself, delivering it high and up the middle but it caromed off the crossbar back into the field of play.

The Panther defense did a good job limiting the potent Winthrop attack, holding the Eagles to just five shots on frame. The backline shut out the Big South's leading scorer, Michael Skonicki, holding him to just one shot on the evening and sophomore goalkeeper Michael Chesler (Highland, Utah/Mountain View) made four saves.

High Point continues its four-game home stand on Saturday at 7 p.m., with a conference matchup against Presbyterian College. The game will mark the halfway point of the conference season for the Panthers.