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Senior Jillie Johnston broke a scoreless tie with a goal on a bicycle kick in the 95th minute to give the High Point University women's soccer team a 1-0 win over No. 7-seed Gardner-Webb in the Big South Championship Game in Radford, Va., Sunday afternoon. It is HPU's second-straight Big South title.

“This was another fantastic performance by our girls here today,” head coach Marty Beall said. “To play three games in three days is incredibly difficult and Gardner-Webb fought with us through the entire game so credit to their coaching staff for having them ready. I couldn't be more proud of how we performed throughout the game.”

Johnston scored the winning goal in the fifth minute of extra time after the Panthers battled Gardner-Webb to a scoreless stalemate during regulation. High Point earned a free kick from 40-yards out and senior Sara Rager delivered a solid ball into the penalty area. Freshman Becca Hemby got a foot on the ball and flicked it on to the back post where Johnston scored.

“I looked over my shoulder and saw the ball go in and just couldn't believe that I could do this for my teammates,” Johnston said. “This is such an amazing group of girls and we have a special bond. Somehow god and my teammates gave me the power to do something I have never done before.”

The goal was Johnston's second golden goal of the season after the senior also scored in overtime against UNC Asheville to help the Panthers clinch a share of the Big South Regular Season Championship. Over the past two seasons, Johnston has three goals which have all been overtime game-winners.

High Point controlled the run of play throughout the regulation period, playing predominantly in Gardner-Webb's half and outshooting the Runnin' Bulldogs 15-4.

Junior Katie Taber and freshman Kelli Joline continually pressured the GWU backline, putting up a combined seven shots but Gardner-Webb's Chelsea Hearne made nine saves to keep the Panthers off the scoreboard.

The shutout over Gardner-Webb was High Point's sixth straight in a Big South tournament game, a streak which stretches back though the entire 2009 tournament. No other team in Big South history has recorded a clean sheet in six consecutive tournament games.

“We really limited Gardner-Webb's chances, especially in the first half when we held them without a shot,” Beall said. “It was a great job of team defending, that is what I am most proud of today. To have six-straight tournament games with shutouts just speaks volumes to the hard work our kids have put in.”

Sophomore Janay Whittaker was named Big South Tournament MVP while Johnston, Joline and junior Andrea Ritchie were all named to the All-Tournament Team.

The Panthers became just the second Big South team to repeat as conference champions. Liberty is the only other team to accomplish the feat, winning in 2001-02. HPU won all three tournament games with a 1-0 score. High Point has won four conference titles since 2003 including three of the past four. This is the first title that High Point did not win on penalty kicks.

With the win, High Point moves back over .500 with an 11-10-1 record on the season. HPU has won nine of its last 12 games on the season. Gardner-Webb finished its season with a 7-10-5 overall record.

The Panthers find out who they will play in the first round of the 2010 NCAA Women's Soccer Championship on Monday when the full field of 64 teams is announced. The 2010 Women's Soccer Selection Show will air on Monday at 4:30 p.m., on ESPNU. Last season in the NCAA tournament, The Panthers lost, 1-0, against eventual national champion North Carolina.