HIGH POINT, N.C. — The High Point University women's lacrosse team is headed to the Big South Conference Championship as the No. 2 seed, which is set to begin versus No. 3 seed Furman on Friday in Macon, Ga. The winner will go on to face the host, top-seeded Mercer or No. 4 Longwood on Sunday for a chance to hoist the trophy.
 
Tournament Central
Friday, May 3 – Semifinals (ESPN+)
No. 1 Mercer vs. No. 4 Longwood, 4:00pm
No. 2 High Point vs. No. 3 Furman, 7:00pm
 
Sunday, May 5 – Championship (ESPN+)
1/4 Winner vs. 2/3 Winner, 12:00pm
 
Head Coach Lyndsey Boswell: "We feel good about where we are and who we are as people and as players. I just love what's happening in the locker room right now. I'm so proud of the culture that's been created this year and I hope we can play as long as possible. I don't want to see this year end. We love where we are right now. Obviously, we have had some up and down years, but this is where we expect to be year after year. We went a long time without losing conference games and I feel like we are back. I'm excited to see what we can bring down to Macon, Georgia."
 
The Panthers are looking to get back to the championship game for a league-leading ninth time and win the program's seventh title, which is also best in the Big South. HPU has made every championship game minus 2015 and 2023 since the Big South's inaugural 2013 season.
 
HPU cruised through Big South play this season behind a 7-1 record, winning seven straight games after dropping the conference opener versus Mercer. The reigning champion Bears are hosting the Big South Championship for the second straight season as they capped back-to-back undefeated conference seasons.
 
Furman's two losses came versus HPU and Mercer, which are the two teams who are ahead of the Paladins in the nation's top 10 in shot percentage. HPU is second (0.518), Mercer is sixth (0.493) and Furman is 10th (0.481). The bracket's other team, Longwood, is fourth (0.501).
 
The Panthers have the nation's 14th-best shot taker in Jordan Miles, who has had a stellar junior season. The attacker leads in goals (49), points (58) and draw controls (84). Her 84 draw controls are the second-most ever won in a single season in program history.
 
Miles' success is complimented by career-high goals from Esprit Cha (41), Allie Connally (28), Shannon Smith (23), and Reese Dowgiallo (17). Kay Rosselli also recorded double-digit goals with 22 while Pia Cavallaro scored 17 and Mandy Brockamp had 16. In all, 16 players have scored at least one goal this season.
 
The offensive attack is a product of the nation's 21st scoring offense that supports one of the nation's best teams in assists per game at 26th. Five players —Dowgiallo, Rosselli, Cha, Connally and Smith — have 11 assists or more with Dowgiallo having a team-leading 15. Cavallaro, Brockamp and Miles are all on the double-digit fringe with nine.
 
Defensively, the Panthers have been top notch all season, allowing 10 goals or less in seven games. HPU has three with 20 caused turnovers or more as Aryss Lindsey has a team-leading 29 while Cha has 21 and Sydney Martin has 20 to pace 9.94 caused turnovers per game, which is 22nd best in the nation.
 
The Panthers rank 33rd nationally in ground balls with six having 20 or more. Lindsey leads with 26 as Cha and Martin have 25 each while Brockamp and Joy Coffey have 24 a piece. Rosselli has 20, Cavallaro and Ava Welsh have 16 and Julia Dustin has 15.

It's been a balanced attack all season for the Panthers as they have leaned on each other and played for something bigger than themselves. Winning seven straight is no small feat and now HPU needs two more to reach the goals it set for itself at the beginning of the season.
 
The belief is there. It has been all season as stated in the season preview.
 
"We're really hungry and excited for the opportunity," Miles said, "and just to put it all together and play for Coach [Boswell] and each other and bring home a win."