BOX SCORE
The High Point University men's soccer team had a Division I-record 34 shots in a 5-1 win over Presbyterian College on Saturday evening in Clinton, S.C. Sophomore
Fejiro Okiomah had two goals and an assist in the win for HPU.
“We had a good week of training during our fall break and I thought we were really able to sharpen our attack and our set pieces,” head coach
Dustin Fonder said. “Tonight we were sharp and were able to capitalize on our chances. This team really wants to win a regular season Big South Championship and I think their performance tonight showed that.”
The Panthers jumped out to the lead in just 33 seconds as senior
Scott Rojo set Okiomah free with a through ball from the midfield. Okiomah outraced the PC defender to the ball and beat the keeper one-on-one with a shot from 10-yards out. The goal was Okiomah's seventh of the season and his third in as many games.
The Panthers doubled their lead in the ninth minute when sophomore
Shane Malcolm took a pass from Okiomah and converted for his fifth goal of the season to put HPU up 2-0. Sophomore
Shawn Sloan carried the ball up the middle before dropping it off to Okiomah who one touched it to a streaking Malcolm at the right side of the box. Malcolm took one touch before powering a shot to the top left corner.
Presbyterian College found a score of its own in the 17th minute, countering off a High Point attack. PC's James Neal found a PC midfielder with a throw and the Blue Hose connected two passes before Bryan Quinatora found Harrison Russell with a threw ball to the left side and the midfielder scored off the cross bar.
High Point responded right back with one more score before the half as Rojo yet again found Okiomah to put the Panthers up, 3-1. Rojo took the ball from the left into the middle of the field and found Okiomah at the edge of the 18 with a defender on his back. Okiomah spun off the defender and hit a shot past the keeper from 15-yards out. The goal was Okiomah's fourth in three games.
High Point dominated the first half, outshooting the Blue Hose 19-4 in the first 45 minutes.
After both teams came out and played in the midfield for the first 10 minutes of the second half, Rojo managed to extend the Panthers' lead to 4-1 with an impressive individual effort in the 69th minute. Rojo beat three defenders on the left end line before hitting a hard shot to the near post for his third goal of the season.
High Point's final goal came in the 77th minute as redshirt-sophomore
Ryan Bennett scored to make the final score 5-1. Bennett received the ball at midfield on the left side and carried it up the field and into the box. The left back beat the PC right back before hitting a hard shot into the far-side netting.
“We really worked on breaking out on the attack from the midfield during practice this week and I think stuck to that tonight and found ways to put the ball in the back of the net,” Okiomah said. “I have just been trying to get on the board and get some points for the team so we can get some victories.”
With the five goals against PC, High Point now has 37 goals for the season, a new single-season high in the team's Division I era.
The Panthers improve to 11-3-1 overall and 6-0-0 in the Big South with the win. The six wins in conference is a new high for HPU since joining the Big South in 1999. Presbyterian College drops to 2-10-1 overall and 0-6-0 in the Big South with the loss.
High Point's road swing continues on Wednesday, Oct. 27, when the Panthers head to Conway, S.C., to play Coastal Carolina. The game will feature the top two teams in the Big South standings this season. Kick-off is scheduled for 7 p.m.
