HIGH POINT, N.C. – The High Point University men's soccer team put up a clean sheet to defeat Florida Gulf Coast, 3-0, on Sunday afternoon.
Site: Vert Stadium
Score: High Point 3, FGCU 0
Records: High Point (2-2-2), FGCU (0-5-1)
Head Coach Zach Haines: "We're in a good place. We learned a lot from the first four games as we talked about, we were able to continue to progress and improve. I think we showed things coming together, with and without the ball. Two clean sheets in a row, multiple goals from multiple guys. Really happy with the overall performance and we are looking forward to starting conference play on Friday."
The Panthers and the Eagles went head-to-head in a match that saw multiple fouls and yellow cards. Another thing it didn't lack in was goal scoring for HPU. Right off the bat in the first 10 minutes of the match, HPU grabbed an early lead.
Jefferson Amaya lined up for a free kick in the 9th minute as he sent a strike to the center of the box. No Panther was able to get a hold of it as the ball found its way off the hip of a FGCU player and into the back of the net for an own goal.
After a few fouls and a FGCU sub moment,
Ross Johnstone extended the Panthers lead to two in the 26th minute.
Brendan Krueger went in for the slide tackle which lost control of the ball as Johnstone took control and took a strike from above the box that the keeper was not able to put a stop to.
At the half, HPU was leading in shots, 4-3, and all square at two with corner kicks.
Just like the first half, HPU created chances early and was rewarded with another goal to extend the lead to three.
Anthony Ramirez recorded the assist as he dished a perfect pass to Krueger to have a one-on-one with the keeper. Krueger was able to slip it under his left leg right to the back of the net. Krueger leads the team in goals as he tallied his third of the year.
The Panther defense and the great goalkeeping by
Luke Snyder, who earned his first career start this afternoon was enough to earn another win.
"I'm so proud of him," Haines said. "He's worked so hard and has been an incredible representative of this program and he's graduating in December. To get a start in his senior year, he's worked hard for it. He's prepared and he did a fantastic job to help us get the clean sheet. It is a great moment for him, and he has fully earned it."
Up Next: HPU will start conference play on Friday, Sept. 20 at 7:00 p.m. as UNC Asheville is welcomed to Vert Stadium.
#GoHPU
