Site: Klockner Stadium (Charlottesville, Va.)
Score: High Point 10, #1 Virginia 11
Records: High Point (1-1), Virginia (1-0)
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va.— High Point University men's lacrosse team fell narrowly to #1 Virginia in an epic 11-10 game on Sunday afternoon (Feb. 13). Asher Nolting, Michael Ippolito, and Brayden Mayea scored two goals each on Sunday. Nolting led the Panthers in points with five on the day via two goals and three assists.
With his three assists, Nolting is now 18th all-time for most assists in NCAA history with 160. He is 73 assists away from becoming the NCAA all-time assists leader.
Jon Torpey: "Hats off to UVA they have a great group, this is the fourth year in a row our group has traveled to Charlottesville and each game has been close. I'm incredibly proud of our guys every single one of them and our staff, Kenny, Justin, Bryce, Cam, Kevin, Nicole, and Andrew are phenomenal and their hard work behind the scenes puts us in a great position to compete and win each week. Today we had 1 day's rest to prepare and recover for the 2x national champions and like always our fellas showed up. It seemed like we had chances but at certain times we couldn't catch a break. This team's execution, fight, and energy are amazing and I'm blessed to coach this group. I'm confident that we will continue to improve, fix our deficiencies and grow from this game."
Panther Particulars
Ippolito got the scoring started for HPU with a quickly timed step-down shot off a precise feed from Nolting. Ippolito put HPU up 1-0 with 12:07 to play in the first quarter.
UVA scored two straight to go up 2-1, Mayea closed out the quarter strong for HPU scoring with four seconds left in the first quarter to tie the game at 2. The goal came off of another Nolting assist. Mayea through a beautiful fake where he stopped on a dime after being at full speed and finished the shot to score.
Tommy Meehan scored his first collegiate goal with 6:48 to go in the second half. Meehan was assisted by Jackson Clay which brought the Panthers within one of the Hoos, 4-3.
Nick Rizzo tied the game at four as he split two UVA defenders and ate a big hit to the head with 2:50.
UVA scored two goals in the final 2:50 to take a two-goal lead into halftime.
Koby Russell showed off his signature athleticism in the third quarter as he scored after sprinting in from the corner to give HPU its fifth goal of the game. He made it a one-goal game with 12:31 to play in the third.
Ippolito tied the game at six with 9:31 to go in the third quarter for his second of the day.
UVA went on a four-goal run in the third to go up 10-6. Nolting scored in the last minute of the third quarter to make it a three-goal game heading into the fourth quarter.
The momentum shift the Panthers desperately needed came in the form of a Trey Smith long pole goal with 13:14 remaining.
HPU caused a turnover and then used great passing in transition to set up Mayea for the ninth Panther goal of the day to make it 10-9 with 8:05 left to play.
Nolting answered a UVA goal with one of his with only 4:08 remaining.
UVA held off an incredibly strong final charge from the HPU offense in the last four minutes, surviving 11-10.
Up Next: The Panthers go back up to Maryland for the second time this season. This time to face Navy in Annapolis on Saturday at noon.
#KTS x #GoHPU
