When: Saturday, April 8, 2017 | 1:00 p.m.
Where: Louisville, Ky. | Owsley B. Frazier Stadium
Who: High Point (3-7, 1-2) | Bellarmine (2-7, 1-2)
All-Time Series: Tied 2-2
Last Meeting: High Point won 13-7 | High Point, N.C. | April 9, 2016
Live Video: GLVC Sports Network
Live Stats: Athletic.Bellarmine.Edu
Game Notes: HighPointPanthers.Com
 
HIGH POINT, N.C. – The High Point University men's lacrosse team heads to Louisville, Ky. to take on Bellarmine at 1 p.m. in a crucial Southern Conference clash.
 
The Panthers (3-7, 1-2) and the Knights (2-7, 1-2) enter Saturday in need of a win to keep pace in the SoCon standings and to strengthen their postseason chances. Only the top four teams in the league make the SoCon Tournament with HPU and Bellarmine enter the weekend tied with Mercer for fourth.
 
Quick Hitters:
• Thanks in large part to 15 saves from Tim Troutner Jr., the Panthers led 12-9 with 2:30 left in regulation on Saturday at Mercer. But the Bears stormed back to win 13-12 in overtime.
 
• In his second week at attack, Sean Harrison recorded two goals and an assist against the Bears.
 
• Jason Ashwood tallied two goals at Mercer to extend his scoring streak to 10 games. The junior is the only Panther to score in every game in 2017.
 
• With two goals against the Bears, Connor Robinson registered his team-high fifth multi-goal game of the spring. He's scored 11 of his HPU-leading 12 goals in those five contests.
 
• Luke Cappetto caused two turnovers on the defensive end and chipped in with his first career assist.
 
• A native Georgian, Nick Basile went back to the Peach State and tallied two goals. Two of his six career multi-point games have come against Mercer.
 
• LeClair netted two goals to give the Purple & White five multi-goal scorers in the contest.
 
• As always, the battle at the face-off 'X' will be key on Saturday. Neither team has won more face-offs than their opponents in any contest this season. HPU is 69th in the nation while Bellarmine is 66th at the 'X.'
 
• HPU has never lost three conference games in a row, but enter Saturday after two straight setbacks.
 
• The Panthers are 5-4 all-time in conference road contests. However, the road team has never won in the series with Bellarmine. The Knights are 1-3 in Owsley B. Frazier Stadium so far in 2017.
 
• High Point has never played back-to-back overtime contests and is 3-1 in outings after overtime games.
 
• In the program's history, the Panthers are 28-7 when they win the ground ball battle. However, the team has earned an advantage on the ground just once this season, which came in a win at VMI.
 
Troutner Making Saves
• Tim Troutner Jr. ranks second in the nation and leads the conference with 13.20 saves per contest. Only Manhattan's Michael Zingaro has a higher average (13.30 per game).
 
• The Annapolis, Md. native has double digit saves in all but one game this season. The only game he didn't reach double figures came in a nine-save performance in a 15-6 win over St. John's.
 
All-Time Series with Bellarmine
After the Knights earned home wins in 2013 and 2014, the Panthers bounced back winning in Vert Stadium each of the past two springs to even the series at 2-2. Overall, the home team is 4-0 with Bellarmine leading the combined score 38-37.
 
Last Time They Met
The teams were tied at 6-all with just over 17 minutes to play on April 9, 2016. However, the Purple & White stormed to the finish line outscoring the Knights 7-1 the rest of the way to earn a 13-7 victory. Michael LeClair led the offense with five points while Tim Troutner Jr. made 16 stops in the cage.
 
Next Up
The Panthers return home on Saturday, April 15 to take on Furman at noon in Vert Stadium.
 
#GoHPU