CLINTON, S.C. — The High Point University men's soccer team extended its nation's longest winning streak to eight games en route to shutting out Presbyterian 8-0 on Saturday night on the road. It marked the fourth-most goals the Panthers have scored in a match in program history and the most against a Big South Conference and Division I opponent, with six different Panthers scoring, including braces from
Daniel Lugo and
Prosper Adagani. The victory extends the Panthers' unbeaten road conference streak to 11 years.
Site: Martin Stadium
Score: High Point 8, Presbyterian 0
Records: High Point (10-3-1, 5-0), Presbyterian (0-12-1, 0-4-1)
HPU's first goal came in the 18th minute. A defensive takeaway from
Alfred Baafi set up Adagani to find Lugo in the box as Lugo took one dribble before striking the ball with his left foot to the crossbar and into the net for the opening goal and his 11th score, giving HPU an early 1-0 advantage.
The Panthers improved their record to 66-1-6 under
Zach Haines when HPU scored first.
HPU struck again in the 26th minute. Adagani led the attack, playing a give-and-go with Lugo again, who set up Adagani to one-touch the ball into the back right corner of the net for the 2-0 lead. The goal marked Adagani's seventh of the season.
HPU extended its lead to 3-0 in the 32nd minute after
Noah Behrmann pushed the ball up field, passing to Lugo, who dribbled to the far left post before perfectly crossing the ball into the box to the foot of Adagani as he kicked in his second goal of the game. It's Adagani's third brace of his career and first this season, while it marked Behrmann's ninth assist which is second best in the nation.
The Panthers were not done adding damage. In the 34th minute, another defensive takeaway set up
John Killgore Jr. to cross the ball to Sarantakos into the box, who got his head on the ball toward Baafi on the near post as he kicked the ball between the goalie and defender for the fourth score of the game and his third of the season, giving HPU the 4-0 lead. It was Killgore's first collegiate assist.
A foul in the penalty box, after Sarantakos was shoved into the ground, set up a penalty kick for
Anthony Ramirez in the 43rd minute, who put the ball into the back left part of the net for his second consecutive game with a goal, giving the Panthers a 5-0 lead heading into halftime.
The five first-half goals mark the second-most first-half goals in program history and the most against a Division I opponent in a half.
It didn't take long for the Panthers to pick up where they left off in the first half. This time it was
Aidan Morrison, who got in on the scoring fun in the 56th minute, after an Adagani shot was blocked, ricocheting back to Morrison, who took a few dribbles before curving the ball around the goalkeeper and into the net as HPU pushed its lead to 6-0. The goal is Morrison's second of the season and first since August 24 against No. 11 Virginia.
The Panthers' defense continued its pressure, eating another takeaway less than two minutes later as HPU spread the ball around the field, eventually making its way to Ramirez then to
Kingston Genot, who crossed the ball into the box to the head of Lugo as he headed home his second goal of the game and the Panthers' seventh. It is Lugo's fifth brace of his career and second this season, while it marked Genot's first collegiate assist.
The goal marks Lugo's 13th of the season, which is the second-most in all of Division I. Lugo has scored in five of the past six games and recorded nine goals during that span.
HPU wasn't satisfied, scoring its eighth goal in the 83rd minute after a give-and-go between
Desmond Mensah and
James VandeHei allowed for Mensah to make his way to the near post sideline and cross the ball to Sarantakos, who easily struck the ball into the net with his left foot for his fourth goal of the season and second in the last two games, sealing an 8-0 win for HPU.
Josh Caron and
Caleb Trogdon split halves in net as the duo combined for Panthers' clean sheet.
The Panthers finished with 15 total shots, 11 shots on goal and earned three corner kicks. The shutout is HPU's fifth of the season and third in the last four games.
Up Next: The Panthers look to make it nine consecutive wins on Tuesday, October 20, as HPU takes on UNC Greensboro at Vert Stadium at 7 p.m.
#GoHPU
