Box Score BOX SCORE

The High Point University men's soccer team battled hard, but fell, 4-1, to No. 1-ranked Akron on Friday evening at the Cincinnati Adidas Classic. Senior Hilaire Babou (Wheaton, Md/Walter Johnson) scored the only goal for the Panthers with an 18-yard blast in the second-half.

HPU was outshot 24-2 in the contest, but sophomore Michael Chesler (Highland, Utah/Mountain View)kept the Panthers in the game, tying his career-high with eight saves.

“Obviously we scheduled this game so we could see how one of the best programs in the country is run, and today we learned we have a ways to go but there are positive lessons that we can take from this that will get us there quicker,” said head coach Dustin Fonder. “I didn't like that we started so flat. We usually bring a high energy level but for some reason it seemed we were in a funk to start the game and we got punished for it. What I did like was the fact that we came out in the second half and challenged them a bit more. We did that and we got a goal out of it. I feel like we started to play with some confidence and learn we can stay on the field with a team of that caliber.”

High Point fell behind, 3-0, in the first half as Akron received goals from Kofi Sarkode, Darlington Nagbe and Teal Bunbery. The Zips controlled much of the action in the opening 45, outshooting High Point 15-0. Chesler made several fantastic saves, compiling five stops in the opening period.

After a back-and-forth beginning to the second half, the Panthers jumped on the board in the 57th minute. Sophomore Karo Okiomah (Austin, Texas/Hendrickson-Pflugerville)got a breakaway down the right side. Okiomah held the ball up at the front of the attack and found Babou at the top left corner of the box. The senior delivered a hard strike to the far side netting for his first goal of the season. The goal was the first scored against Akron this season. 

“The goal we got we earned” said Fonder. “Karo (Okiomah) was able to stretch them and maintain possession. Shawn Sloan (Geneva, Ill./Geneva) made a good run to pull defenders away from (Hilaire) Babou. We then found Babou and he bent it into the goal with a good finish.”

The Zips would add one final goal by Yoram Mwila in the 86th minute to bring the final tally to 4-1.

“Akron is an excellent team,” said Fonder. “They are a well-coached group and we have nothing but respect for them. We scheduled this game because they are a model of how we want our program to be, but we just aren't there yet.”

The Panthers return to the pitch on Sunday at 1 p.m. when they take on Western Illinois in their second game at the Cincinnati Adidas Classic.