HIGH POINT, N.C. — The High Point University Panthers women's lacrosse team closed out the 2026 regular season with Senior Day against the Presbyterian College Blue Hose, where the Panthers dominated on Saturday behind a 25-4 win. Seniors Reese Dowgiallo, Shannon Smith, Caitlyn Baehr, Bella Germani, Rachelle Gauthier, Tatum Mehring, Jaidyn Donley, Lauren Pujolar, and Sydney Martin were recognized pre-game for their collegiate careers.
Smith led the way for the Panthers with a career-high seven goals and eight points. Dowgiallo finished with a career-high five goals, six assists, and 11 points. Her point total ranks her tied for second all-time in program history. Baehr reached the 100 career draw control and 100 ground ball mark.
SITE: Vert Stadium
SCORE: High Point 25, Presbyterian 4
RECORDS: High Point (7-9, 7-1), Presbyterian (5-12, 2-6)
Head Coach Lyndsey Boswell: "Today was about our seniors and the commitment and dedication they put into our program for the last, some of them two, some four, and some five years. I'm really proud of the way they showed up today. I think they had a lot of fun in their last game at home, and I'm grateful for all that they've put into our program over the course of their time."
Within the first minute of the game, Anna Checkosky got the Panthers on the board first off a pass from Dowgiallo. After a Presbyterian goal, Anna Mullikin extended her scoring streak to seven games. Ava Grandi found the back of the net for her first goal of the game at the 9:31 mark in the first quarter. The Panthers then extended the lead to 6-1 behind goals from Dowgiallo, Smith, and Germani. Mullikin found Dowgiallo to respond after a Presbyterian goal, and Smith followed it up with another score. The Panthers took an 8-3 lead into the second quarter.
Smith secured the hat trick with 9:25 remaining in the first half. Dowgiallo then got a hat trick of her own as Lily Trout found her to get the Panthers into double-digits, 10-4. Smith scored her fourth and fifth goals, and Dowgiallo scored her fourth, as the Panthers went up by nine. Kate Prentice scored her first goal of the game to give the Panthers a 14-4 lead at halftime.
The Panthers opened up the second half quickly with Checkosky scoring her second goal of the contest. Donley joined the party as she scored on her senior day. Germani made it a 17-4 game. Smith tied her career-high with a sixth goal, receiving a pass from Dowgiallo in the third quarter. Dowgiallo then set two career-highs with her eighth point and fifth goal of the game. The Panthers took a 19-4 lead into the final 15 minutes.
Gauthier got the Panthers to the 20-goal mark as she got on the senior-day score sheet. The Panthers then saw fourth-quarter goals from Trout and Tatum Goettelmann before Smith scored her single-game career-high seventh goal. Gauthier scored again for the first multi-goal game of her career, making the final score 25-4.
Baehr finished with a career-high five ground balls and six draw controls. Martin also tied a career-high recovering five ground balls. Smith set another career-high with four ground balls. Gracie Vickery, Pujolar, and Mullikin each finished with three draw controls. Goalie Ava Welsh finished with another six saves.
Up Next: The Panthers will head to Macon, Georgia, for the 2026 Big South Conference Tournament. The semifinal matchup will take place on Friday, May 1 at 7:00 p.m.
#GoHPU x #RollThers
