Box Score

Senior goalie Marisa Abbott (Troy, N.Y./Tamarac) made a season-high 10 saves against Old Dominion University but the High Point University women's soccer team was unable to overcome a first-half goal by the Lady Monarchs, losing, 1-0, Sunday afternoon in Norfolk, Va.

With the loss the team falls to 0-4-0 on the season with all four losses coming against teams with double-digit wins in 2008.

Abbott's continued stellar play kept the Panthers in the game as the senior shutdown the ODU attack throughout much of the game.

"I think Marisa has been fantastic all season," said head coach Marty Beall. "She is playing like a senior, and she is making some saves that are helping us stay in these games. We are very pleased with her play and hopefully she can continue that form for the rest of the season."

The game was a back and forth affair for the first 25 minutes but ODU managed to break through for the only tally of the game in the 26th minute when Victoria Johnson crossed the ball from the right and Ashlee Coutu arrived unmarked on the far post to score on the empty net.

The Panther's maintained solid possession for much of the first half but were unable to find an equalizer as the teams went into halftime with the score still 1-0.

In the second half, the Panthers created several chances as they continued to push forward looking for the tying goal. Both freshman Christa White (Cary, N.C./Cary Christian) and senior Danielle Eldridge (Bradenton, Fla./Manatee) took shots from within the 18-yard box but neither could find the back of the net.

"I really liked our possession, especially in the first half," said Beall. "I thought we did a great job of knocking the ball around. We are lacking the final pass to generate some scoring threats but our ideas were our best of the season. I thought we competed very hard. ODU is a very good team; they are a very successful program and are very well coached. To come away from this with just a 1-0 loss and to be in the game is evidence of our progress."

HPU returns to Vert Stadium to host the High Point Invitational on Friday and Sunday. The Panthers will play the College of Charleston on Friday at 7:30 p.m. and regional-rival Elon on Sunday at 3:30 p.m.