Site: High Point, N.C.
Score: High Point 25, Gardner Webb 15
Records: High Point 9-8, (8-1), Gardner-Webb 10-9, (5-3)
HIGH POINT, N.C.— The High Point University women's lacrosse team knocked off Gardner-Webb, 25-15, in the Big South semifinals at Vert Stadium on Friday afternoon. Abby Hormes became the eighth player in college Lacrosse to reach 400 career points as she scored eight goals on the day, while Taylor Suplee recorded her 500th career save. Mena Loescher scored six goals and recorded five assists on the day. The Panthers set the record for most goals in a Big South Tournament game with 25 goals scored in the win.
Head Coach Lyndsey Boswell: "We are excited to be hosting this weekend at High Point University. So happy to get the win here today and get so many contributors on the field. We are really happy to get to play on Sunday in the Championship game."
Boswell on Hormes' 400th point: "I am grateful to be able to coach Abby another game. Every day that I get to be with her is a blessing. I am so proud of the way she has led our team, she is peaking at the right time but she is bringing players along with her and she could not do what she does without the unit out there. I am happy for Abby and the girls she's working around."
Panther Particulars
Kay Rosselli got the scoring going for the Panthers in the opening two minutes of play before Hormes doubled the HPU lead just 20 seconds later.
Gardner-Webb evened the game at two.
Mena Loescher brought the momentum back to the HPU side as she scored an unassisted goal to put the Panthers up 3-2.
Hormes scored two consecutive goals within a minute of each other to extend the Panther lead to 5-2.
Gardner-Webb was able to find one back, but the Panthers responded with a four-goal run with contributions from four different Panthers to take a 9-3 lead.
The second quarter began with a lot of back and forth action as both teams scored four goals apiece in the through 10 minutes of play to bring the score to 12-7.
Loescher and Grace Bruce were able to extend the HPU lead to 14-7 before the first half expired.
The back and forth battle continued in the opening minutes of the third quarter as both teams scored three goals to make it a 16-10 game.
High Point responded with five straight goals to close out the third quarter and give the Purple and White a 21-11 lead heading into the final 15 minutes of the game.
The Bulldogs strung together a few goals in the fourth quarter, before Liz Meister and Julia Nicastro added two more goals for HPU to make it a 25-15 game.
HPU went on to win 25-15 over GWU and will advance to its sixth straight Big South title game this Sunday.
Up Next
The Panthers will advance to the Big South Championship on Sunday (May 8th) at Vert Stadium. The first draw is set for 1 pm.
#ForYourWhy x #GoHPU
