BOX SCORE
The High Point University women's soccer team dropped a 1-0 decision to Western Carolina in Cullowhee, N.C. on Sunday evening. The Panthers outshot WCU 9-6 but could not find the back of the net.
“We need to learn to play with the same urgency and intensity that we played with against the ACC teams,” head coach Marty Beall said. “We possessed the ball well but we didn't possess it in dangerous areas of the field. We did not create enough dangerous scoring chances. We only created a couple dangerous chances and Western Carolina is too good a team to not create chances against.”
Neither team gained control of the game at the start of the game with much of the play contained in the midfield. The Catamounts began to gain some possession 15 minutes into the game and in the 18th minute took a 1-0 lead on a goal by Kayla Sedgely. Sedgely outran the High Point backline to a throughball and dribbled around goalie Jesse May before scoring with a shot from the right side of the box.
The Panthers almost tied the game in the 42nd minute on a running header by freshman Kelli Joline but the WCU keeper corralled the shot to hold High Point scoreless. HPU strung several passes together in the midfield to spring junior Robin Pecoraro on the left side. The defender lofted a ball into the center of the box where Joline ran onto it at full speed.
A change in formation at the half helped High Point possess the ball early in the second half. The Panthers put up three shots in the first 10 minutes of the period including a hard shot by junior Katie Taber that forced a save by the WCU keeper.
Play settled down after the first 10 minutes of the second half and again was played primarily in the midfield. HPU continued to push players up on the pitch looking for an equalizer but could not beat the organized Catamount defense.
Joline finished the game with a team-best three shots, two on goal, while Taber added two shots of her own, both on frame.
High Point falls to 2-7-0 with the loss while Western Carolina improved to 3-4-1.
The Panthers will conclude their non-conference slate on Friday, Sept. 24, when they play host to Charlotte at 7 p.m. in Vert Track and Soccer Stadium. It will be the first meeting between the two teams.
