Box Score Box Score

Junior Karo Okiomah scored two goals and assisted on a Ryan Bennett goal as the High Point University men's soccer team beat Richmond, 4-1, on Saturday night at Vert Stadium before a record-attendance of 1,604. Fejiro Okiomah also scored for HPU.

"We had a good positive start with high energy and enthusiasm and our movement off the ball created our scoring opportunities," said HPU head coach Dustin Fonder. "We're obviously happy with the win but we were disappointed that we conceded the goal in the second half. We want to shut teams out and we still have some work to do defensively if we're going to be the team we want to be this season."

Karo Okiomah got the Panthers on the board 14:59 into the game when he converted a penalty kick. He had possession in the box with two HPU players on the left side and a defender took him down from behind, leading to the PK opportunity. Okiomah is three-for-three on penalty kicks this season.

Fejiro Okiomah scored at the 22:00 mark when he streaked down the left side and Richmond goalkeeper Zac Brown came out to defend. Okiomah received a long pass from senior Adam Hatem and put it past Brown. It was Okiomah's fourth goal of the season and Hatem's first helper.

Bennett notched his second goal of the season to make it 3-0 at 37:04. Karo Okiomah passed the ball to Bennett on the left side and Bennett got a shot on frame that Brown couldn't handle. Bennett's two goals lead HPU defenders.

The Panthers cemented the game before halftime with Karo Okiomah's second score at 41:29. Freshman Alex Martinez got a great look from the left side that was saved by Brown. The ball went straight out to Okiomah, who got control and put it in for his seventh goal of the year.

Richmond threatened with a score early in the second half but ultimately couldn't mount a comeback. Sophomore Houston Oldham headed in a cross from freshman Spencer Schiff to make it 4-1 at 50:12.

The Panthers had several good scoring chances late in the game but couldn't get another ball past Richmond goalkeeper Brock Tomlinson, who took over at halftime. Scott Rojo had two great opportunities with under 18:00 left, first putting a hard shot on net that Tomlinson saved and missing just left with the second. Shortly after, Rojo fed a great pass to Stephen Clowes, whose header went just wide of the post on the near side. Martinez had a good scoring opportunity of his own inside 5:00 but his shot went just wide right.

After playing five of their last six games at Vert Stadium, High Point University hits the road for two Big South contests next week. The Panthers play at Winthrop on Wednesday at 7 p.m. and play at Liberty on Saturday at noon.