BOX SCORE

The High Point University men's soccer team dropped a hard-fought 2-1 decision to Longwood in non-conference action at Vert Stadium Tuesday night. Sophomore Alex Martinez scored his team-best eighth goal of the season in the loss.

“Longwood is a good team and they came in here and beat us fair and square,” said head coach Dustin Fonder. “I thought we played pretty well, especially in the second half. More importantly I thought the spirit was back in our group. We don't like moral victories, but this was a moral victory because I am proud of the way this group competed and kept fighting to the final whistle.”

The Panthers fall to 5-9-2 overall on the season with the loss to the Lancers while the win improves Longwood's record to 10-6-1 overall.

Longwood scored the first goal of the match to break a 0-0 tie in the 40th minute when defender Niels van Pelt bent a shot into the upper right-hand corner of the net from 20-yards out to give the Lancers a 1-0 lead. The defender received a pass from Shane Johnson and dribbled past one defender before finding space just outside the box to hit the curling shot to the far post.

Midway through the second half, Longwood doubled its lead with a goal by Zack Mahan in the 77th minute. Zach Crandall hit a ball over the top of the HPU backline to Mahan who managed to outmuscle his defender and slot a ball past the onrushing Michael Chesler and into the net to put the Lancers ahead, 2-0.

High Point almost recouped a goal in the 80th minute when a wide header by junior Fejiro Okiomah drew the Longwood keeper out of the net and junior Shawn Sloan found redshirt-junior Kendall Lawson with a cross just in front of goal. The midfielder did well to avoid a defender diving to block the ball but his resulting shot ran wide of the frame.

HPU continued to push to get back into the game late and tallied a goal three minutes later when Martinez hit a hard shot from the right side of the 18 into the top netting to make the score 2-1. Lawson got control of a loose ball in the box and passed it over to Sloan who used a back-heel pass to free Martinez for the shot.

The Panthers were unable to find an equalizer in the closing minutes as the clock reached 90 minutes with Longwood still leading, 2-1.

High Point finished with a 15-9 edge in shots but was only able to put three shots on target compared to Longwood's six. The Panthers also finished with a 6-3 edge in corner kicks. Sloan finished with three shots in the game including two of HPU's three shot on goal in the game.

The Panthers continue their three-game home stand on Friday, Oct. 28, when the team faces VCU in the Fox Soccer/NSCAA National Game of the Week. The game will be broadcast nationally on the Fox Soccer Channel and will be HPU's first appearance in a nationally televised soccer match.