HIGH POINT, N.C. – The High Point University men's soccer team now own the nations-longest-win streak at seven games with a Friday, 5-0, victory over Longwood University on senior night.
Site: Vert Stadium
Score: High Point 5, Longwood 0
Records: High Point (7-2-2, 4-0-0), Longwood (3-6-2, 2-2-0)
Head Coach Head Zach Haines: "Congrats to our seniors, proud of those guys, the seven guys that we honored tonight. They have done so much for this program, and we wouldn't be where we are without everything they have contributed on and off the field. That is the biggest takeaway tonight and then a great team performance. Very dominant from the start to finish. I loved their intensity and mentality. You could tell from the very first minute that we were on it tonight and it's a lot of momentum winning seven in a row. We're pleased with the group, and we'll be ready for Monday.
Prior to tonight's match, High Point honored
Josh Gomina,
Jackson Ruckman,
Aidan Abril,
Ross Johnstone,
Mohammed Seidu,
Luke Snyder, and
Tanner Rothenberger in its senior night ceremony.
It seems to be every game now that HPU gets a goal in the first 10 minutes of the match. Well, they did it again tonight. Seidu had himself his first goal of the season, but it was called off due to offside. Just a few minutes later in the seventh minute,
Brendan Krueger scored his team leading sixth goal of the season to give HPU the 1-0 early lead. Krueger had placed himself perfectly in the box to be able to get a shot off the rebound from the initial shot by
Celestin Blondel to keep the momentum going for the Panthers.
Just five minutes later as the Panthers kept the pressure on the Lancers, Johnstone netted his fourth goal after being honored during the senior night ceremony. Assisted by
Jefferson Amaya off the corner kick, Johnstone jumped up and was able to get a head on it as the ball found the back of the net.
High Point was piling the shots on the Lancers and the feeling of another goal was right around the corner. Blondel was fed a beautiful ball from Krueger after HPU took control off a Lancer turnover. Blondel had an open shot in the box as he hammered it home to score his first as a Panther to give HPU an early 3-0 advantage.
At the half, High Point held a clean sheet with 12 shots to none and a six-corner kick advantage as the Panthers never stepped off the gas.
The pressure as well as the scoring did not stop in the first half. HPU came out firing in the second half creating chances left and right for its offense.
Anthony Ramirez joined the party as he scored his first goal of the season in the 56th minute off the feed from Baafi. Ramirez and Baafi were both hustling down field as Baafi found Ramirez to the right of him at around the 12-yard mark as he was able to get a clean shot off that the keeper just couldn't get his body in front of.
Baafi scored in his last three games for HPU as he netted yet another tonight. In the 71st minute, Krueger found Baafi in the box with a blinded back heel pass as Baafi sent it past the keeper for his fourth goal of the season to push the lead to five. Krueger earned his second assist of the night on top of scoring his sixth goal of the year.
Josh Caron made his first start back in the lineup as he worked a clean sheet having to make just one save.
HPU extended its at-home win streak to seven games with a, 5-0, win over Big South foe Longwood. Scoring nine goals in their last two games, High Point will look to keep the win streak alive as they visit the No. 1 team in the country next week.
Up Next: High Point will travel to Pennsylvania to take on No. 1 Pittsburgh on Monday, October 14 at 7 p.m. on ACCNX.
#GoHPU
