ROCK HILL, S.C. – The High Point University women's soccer team played to a, 1-1, draw at Winthrop University on Wednesday night. With the result, HPU clinched a spot in the Big South Conference Tournament and will await the result of Gardner-Webb vs Radford to determine the 4/5 seeds.
Site: Eagle Field
Score: High Point 1, Winthrop 1
Records: High Point (3-9-4, 3-3-2), Winthrop (4-6-6, 2-3-3)
Head Coach Aaron McGuiness: "I don't think we got off the bus and got engaged into the game until midway through that first half. Unfortunately, we went down a goal because of that early on. The second half we changed things up a little and wanted to go forward more, by putting pressure on them. I think we were able to create those dangerous moments which resulted in that free kick. It was a good goal from Sabba (Haghgoo) and a great delivery from Kasey (Resker)."
Winthrop applied the pressure with an early goal in the first minute from a corner kick. High Point spent the rest of the half working to find an equalizer but couldn't connect on its six shots they fired off.
After coming out of the locker room for the second half, the Panthers looked like a different team.
"I told them we need to keep generating that energy and applying pressure," McGuiness said. "Need to play higher in their zone and not back off in defensive moments, while winning those challenges. They listened, executed, and that's what came of it."
After dominating possession for the majority of the second half, High Point connected on the equalizer in the 67th minute. Off a free kick,
Kasey Resker struck a beautiful ball into the box where
Sabba Haghgoo jumped up and headed the ball past the keeper and to the back of the net. Haghgoo's goal was her second of the season and inevitably sent HPU to the Big South Conference Tournament.
With the draw in tonight's match, High Point will play Gardner-Webb as either the four or five seed, depending on the result of its game vs Radford on ESPN+.
Up Next: HPU will play Gardner-Webb in the Quarterfinals of the Big South Conference Tournament. All other details are TBD.
#GoHPU
