BOX SCORE
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The High Point University women's soccer team dropped a 3-0 decision at Virginia Tech on Friday night in Blacksburg, Va. Senior Andrea Ritchie made eight saves in the loss for HPU.

“I thought that the team did a good job of responding in the second half tonight,” head coach Marty Beall said. “This was the first time that we faced an ACC team this year and I think the speed of play caught us a little off guard. We came out with a lot more fire in the second half, did everything just a bit quicker and created a couple quality chances against a very good Virginia Tech team. There were definitely some positive things to build on moving forward.”

The loss drops the Panthers to 0-2-1 overall for the 2011 season while Virginia Tech improves to 3-0-0.

Virginia Tech came out on the offensive and put up six shots in the opening 10 minutes but was unable to find a goal thanks to four saves by Ritchie.

The Panthers had a chance to take the lead in the 24th minute when sophomore Becca Hemby slotted a throughball to an onrushing Katie Taber but the senior's shot from 10-yards out was right at the keeper.

Virginia Tech broke the scoreless tie in the 40th minute with a goal by Julia Goldsworthy off a Tech corner kick by Kelly Conheeney. Conheeney played the ball to Goldsworthy at the top left corner of the box where the defender unleashed a hard shot past Ritchie and into the far side netting.

Shannon Mayrose doubled the Hokie lead in the 53nd minute when she took control of the ball in midfield on the left and streaked down the field before slotting it past Ritchie from six-yards out.

High Point almost got one right back just seven minutes later when junior Katie Harris caught Hokie keeper Anna Romeiser off her line and attempted to loft the ball over her from 40-yards out but Romeiser just managed to get back to make the finger tip save.

Goldsworthy picked up her second goal in the 70th minute when she lofted the ball in from 35-yards out after Ritchie slipped coming off her line to make the score 3-0.

HPU returns to action next weekend when the Panthers head to Maryland for two games. High Point will play Loyola (Md.) on Friday, Sept. 2 at 7 p.m., and Towson on Sunday, Sept. 4 at 1 p.m.