BOX SCORE
The High Point University women's soccer team lost, 3-0, to Belmont in the team's final non-conference game of the season when the Bruins scored three goals late in the second half Thursday night at Vert Stadium. The Panthers managed a season-high 15 shots in the loss which drops them to 1-10-0 on the season.
HPU came out strong in the first half, maintaining long spells of possession and creating numerous opportunities in the attacking third. The Panthers outshot Belmont in the first 45, 6-3, and held the Bruins without a shot on goal.
In the second half, High Point continued to press forward but in the 72nd minute, Belmont's Annie Musacchio got the ball in the box on the right side and slipped it past senior goalkeeper Marisa Abbott (Troy, N.Y./Tamarac) to the far post to take a 1-0 lead against the run of play.
With the one goal lead, the Bruins found new life and tacked on two goals in the next five minutes to take control of the game. Jayme Trocino scored with hard strike to the upper 90 from the left side of the box later in the 72nd minute and Lauren Paynter got her foot on a loose ball just in front of the net in the 77th minute to run the Belmont lead to 3-0.
High Point held a 12-8 edge in shots at the time of the first goal and outshot the Bruins, 15-12, in the game. Freshman Christa White (Cary, N.C./Cary Christian) led the team with three shots while junior Jillie Johnston (Naperville, Ill./Naperville Central) had two, both on goal.
Abbott made three saves in the loss and came off her line numerous times to outrun attackers to through balls in the box. The senior's three saves gives her 63 on the season, moving her into third place in the HPU Division I record book for saves in a season. Cindy Watts holds the school's Division I record with 91 saves in 2000.
The Panthers return to the pitch on Saturday, October 3, at 7 pm., when they kick off conference play by hosting Coastal Carolina at Vert Stadium. The game is the first of two straight at home for High Point to begin the conference season.
