Box Score LEXINGTON, Va. – The High Point University men's lacrosse team hit the road for its first road trip of the season at the Virginia Military Institute on Saturday afternoon. After trailing in the first quarter, the Panthers rallied back and sent the game to overtime for a comeback victory, 12-11 over the Keydets.
 
Head Coach John Crawley secured his first win as the new leader in charge for the Panthers and improved to 1-1 on the season.

"Hats off to VMI, Coach Crawley stated. "They did an excellent job in the first quarter to come out swinging. I'm really proud of our guy's ability to have some poise and chip away from being down 7-0. I thought Luca was excellent again, Overend came in off the bench to make some key saves and some seniors stepped up when we needed them down the stretch. I'm proud of our ability to get the job done even though it wasn't pretty." 
 
Site: Drill Field #2
Score: High Point 12, VMI 11
Records: High Point (1-1), VMI (1-0
 
In the early minutes of action, VMI was hot on the attack, as the Keydets trekked on a 7-0 run. The Panthers first seven shots of the game struggled to find the back of the net but in the last two minutes of the first half, High Point made it on the board to start a four-goal run of its own.
 
The duo of Jeb Brenfleck and Owen Bunten tag teamed the Panthers first four goals, each scoring two goals apiece from the end of the first quarter through the second quarter to close the game to 7-4 at the 7:42 mark in the second quarter.
 
VMI snuck in a goal before halftime to make it 8-4 with HPU trailing. Luca Accardo dominated on the faceoff in the first half going 9-for-11 with eight ground balls to lead the game thus far.
 
At the start of the second half, the Keydets scored their ninth goal to lead 9-4. One minute later, the Panthers rallied on a 3-0 run to close the game to 9-7. Collin Rovere tagged the first goal on an assist from Ryan Hynes, Owen Cooper scored the second goal for his first collegiate goal of the season on a pass from Justin Wixted. Wixted found the back of the net for the third goal during the Panthers run at the 9:43 minute mark.
 
High Point trailed 11-8 going into the fourth quarter. Colin Cooke registered his first goal of the game just one minute into the action. Rovere cut the game to a one goal game with 11 minutes to go on the clock.
 
The High Point defense stayed strong through the fourth quarter and held the Keydets scoreless. In the final minute of the game, Rovere came in clutch with a goal to tie at 11 all sending the game into overtime.
 
Bunten called game for the Panthers in overtime after both teams battled for two and a half minutes. The freshman tagged his fourth goal of the game at the doorstep of the goal while falling sideways. Getting the goal signal from the referee, the High Point bench was ecstatic after erasing a seven-goal deficit.

Accardo played a big role in helping gain possession for the Panthers on the faceoff and finished the game going 14-for-20 at the faceoff with 14 ground balls. 
 
UP NEXT:
High Point returns to Vert Stadium to host Robert Morris on Saturday, February 15 at 12:00 p.m.