Box Score BOX SCORE

The High Point University men's soccer team went to overtime against the University of Kentucky before falling, 2-1, on a UK goal in the 92nd minute at the Gamecock Classic on Friday night in Columbia, S.C. Sophomore Alex Martinez scored his third goal in as many games for the Panthers.

“It is very rare to be pleased with your team's performance in a loss, but I am tonight,” head coach Dustin Fonder said. “The difference from last week to this week was noticeable. We should have some confidence after standing toe-to-toe with a great Kentucky team but at the same time this is a loss so there are mistake that we need to clean up.”

The loss was HPU's second-straight overtime defeat and it drops the Panthers to 1-3-1 on the season. Kentucky improves to 5-2-1 on the season with the win.

UK jumped out to an early lead in just the first minute of play when the Wildcats earned a corner and Tyler Riggs got a touch on a ball headed towards the net to redirect it past HPU's Michael Chesler for the 1-0 lead.

Kentucky looked primed to increase its lead midway through the second half with two quality scoring chances but were turned away both times by Chesler. The Wildcats first chance came in the 24th minute when Riggs got in on a breakaway, but his shot was stopped by an onrushing Chesler. Just one minute later, UK earned a free kick from just outside the box and Kentucky's Matt Lodge hit a shot through traffic to the left post but Chesler made the diving save to keep the deficit at one.

The Panthers were the aggressors to start the second half and it paid off in the 58th minute when Martinez got his head on the ball and sent it into the top right corner to even the score at 1-1. Junior Shane Malcolm started the play with a throw in into the box where sophomore Adam Sewell flicked it on to Martinez.

Despite the majority of play in the closing minutes taking part in both team's attacking third neither team was able to find a goal sending the game into overtime.

In the second minute of overtime, UK sent a ball over the top that junior Todd Ray attempted to head back to Chesler but Kentucky's Lodge outraced both Ray and Chesler to the ball and lofted it over the HPU netminder for the game winner.

High Point and Kentucky each finished with 11 shots on the night with High Point holding a slim 5-4 advantage in shots on target.

High Point returns to action on Sunday, Sept. 18, when the Panthers will play host South Carolina in the final game of the Gamecock Classic. The game will be the first regular-season matchup between USC and High Point. Kick-off is set for 1:00 p.m.