BOX SCORE

Senior Sara Rager scored in the 83rd minute of play to propel the fifth-seeded High Point University women's soccer team to a 1-0 win over No. 4 Charleston Southern in the Big South quarterfinals on Friday afternoon in Radford, Va.

“This is a huge win for this young team,” head coach Marty Beall said. “This was two first-place teams playing one another and it showed. I thought it was a great college game and both teams did some great stuff. The difference in this game was Andrea Ritchie and we are proud of her. I am proud of this whole team; they kept fighting and doing the things we have been working on.”

Senior Jillie Johnston sent a cross from the right flank to the top of the box where Rager took one touch to settle the ball before unleashing a shot from 18-yards out. The ball sailed to the top half of the net and hit off the CSU keeper's hands before crossing over the line to put HPU up, 1-0. The goal was Rager's fourth of the season.

“It was really exciting to score that goal,” Rager said. “I am just so happy that we played a great game and were able to advance. Charleston Southern is a great team and it was a very even match. We just kept shooting and eventually the ball went in. It is very exciting.”

High Point came out much stronger at the start of the game than in the two teams' first match in Charleston, S.C. The Panthers controlled possession of the ball through much of the half and created many dangerous chances. Johnston had a header cleared off the line by a Buccaneer defender in the sixth minute and freshman Becca Hemby almost scored off a cross to the far post in the 23rd minute. Despite the chances, both teams headed into the locker rooms at the half still scoreless.

Charleston Southern caught the Panthers on their heels coming out of the break, but was stymied by a great performance in net by junior Andrea Ritchie. In the 56th minute, CSU's Toni Lashley got behind the High Point defense on a counter and went in one-on-one with Ritchie but the junior came off her line and made a great save to maintain the clean sheet.

The Panthers held Charleston Southern to just three shots in the second half, outshooting the Buccaneers 17-13 in the game. Ritchie made six saves in the match to record her fifth shutout of the season and her ninth win of the season. It was the fourth-straight Big South Championship match, stretching back to last season, that High Point has recorded a shutout.

High Point improves to 9-10-1 overall on the season while Charleston Southern finishes the season with a 12-7-1 overall record.

HPU will return to Cupp Stadium in Radford, Va., on Saturday, Nov. 6, at 4:30 p.m., for the Big South Championship semifinals. The Panthers will take on either No. 1 seed Winthrop or No. 8 seed VMI in the contest. HPU tied Winthrop at home 1-1 during the regular season and picked up a 7-0 win on the road over VMI.