BOX SCORE

The High Point University men's soccer team scored two second-half goals to beat VMI, 2-0 in the final regular season home game of the season at Vert Stadium on Saturday evening. With the win, HPU finishes the season a perfect 8-0-0 in the Big South.

“Tonight was a solid performance by our group,” head coach Dustin Fonder said. “We made it a goal at the beginning of the season that we wanted to win the Big South Regular Season Championship and to do it in an 8-0-0 fashion is really great. I am proud of these guys and the fact that they set a goal and then went out and reached it.”

The Panthers broke through for the first goal of the contest in the 56th minute when sophomore Shane Malcolm found fellow sophomore Fejiro Okiomah for his tenth goal of the season. Malcolm sent a through ball into the box where Okiomah muscled through two defenders before beating the VMI keeper with a shot to the left side of net from eight-yards out.

In the 71st minute, HPU doubled its lead as freshman Adam Sewell connected with a header off a corner to put the Panthers up, 2-0. Sophomore Shawn Sloan sent an in-swinging corner kick to the far post where Sewell out-jumped the VMI defender to head it in and pick up his first collegiate goal.

“It was a great feeling to score that goal,” Sewell said. “I really owed it to the coaches after some of the chances I have missed this season. The coaches really have trust in this team and the players. To go undefeated in the conference you need to have a great squad and we do.”

The score was 0-0 after the first half as High Point outshot the Keydets, 8-2, but was unable to find a goal. The Panthers best chance in the first 45 came in the 43rd minute when Okiomah was taken down in the penalty area. Redshirt-sophomore Ryan Bennett stepped up to take the resulting penalty kick, but his attempt hit off the right post and caromed out of bounds.

HPU held VMI to just three shots in the game to record its seventh shutout of the season, a new HPU Division I record. The Panthers allowed just four goals in eight Big South games, finishing the conference slate with a 0.50 goals-against average. Junior Michael Chesler has been in net for all seven shutouts this season, giving him 14 in his collegiate career.

Along with a perfect 8-0-0 conference mark, High Point improves to 13-3-1 overall on the season with the victory. HPU is the first team to finish the Big South season without a loss or tie since Coastal Carolina accomplished the feat in 2007, and the first in Big South history to do it in an eight-game schedule.

VMI falls to 2-10-2 overall and 2-4-0 in the Big South on the season. The loss breaks a three-game unbeaten streak for the Keydets who next host Liberty on Tuesday, Nov. 2.

The Panthers will wrap up their regular season on Saturday, Nov. 6 when they travel to Farmville, Va., to take on Longwood. Kick-off for the game is scheduled for 6 p.m.