HIGH POINT, N.C. – The High Point University men's soccer team put on a full-team effort Friday night against Guilford College in front of a season-high 2,713 fans for the Family Weekend game, notching a season-high tying five goals to win its third consecutive match, 5-1.
Daniel Lugo needed only the opening 22 minutes to secure his first-career hat trick, with all three goals being assisted by
Anthony Ramirez. Lugo's three goals marks the sixth single-game hat-trick in HPU history and the first since 2017. Ramirez's three assists tie HPU's single-game high, becoming the sixth Panther to record three assists in a single match, and the first since 2014.
Site: Vert Stadium
Score: High Point 5, Guilford 1
Records: High Point (5-3-1), Guilford (1-4-2)
Head Coach Zach Haines: "Awesome crowd. Really great environment, and we're very appreciative of this game every year because it's always a fantastic atmosphere for the guys to play in. So very, very much a big thank you to all the High Point Panther fans tonight."
The Panthers stormed out to a 2-0 advantage in the first nine minutes, with both goals being less than two minutes apart. Lugo scored both goals with Ramirez assisting the pair. It is Lugo's fifth goal and first brace of the season, and third brace of his career.
The Lugo-Ramirez connection was not done. In the 22nd minute, Ramirez fired a free kick into the goal box to the sliding foot of Lugo, who kicked in his third goal of the game and team-leading sixth of the season for his first-career hat trick, giving HPU a 3-1 advantage.
"They're on the same page, and I thought that the looks from Anthony [Ramirez], the passes, the runs, the finishes, it was all very impressive and high-level stuff from them. Very happy for both of those guys," Haines said.
Desmond Mensah notched his first-career goal in the 35th minute to give HPU a 4-1 halftime lead.
At halftime, fans enjoyed a nine-minute drone light show in the sky, featuring outlines of the Panthers' logo, slogan, American flag, fireworks and more unique designs.
The Panthers found the back of the net again in the 73rd minute to give HPU the 5-1 advantage. It was
Josh Nwokeji who netted his first collegiate goal, off the double assist from Mensah and
Enzo Rekka. Nwokeji was the third Panther to score in the game, and the eighth different Panther to score this season.
HPU closed out the final 17 minutes strong, securing its third straight win, 5-1. The Panthers registered 30 shots, 13 shots on goal and earned 11 corner kicks, while allowing one shot, one on goal and zero corner kicks. The 30 shots are tied for the seventh-most in a single match in HPU history.
It was
Caleb Trogdon's first career appearance and start in goal, while
Connor Kirkpatrick also made his first appearance in goal for the Panthers as all 21 active players saw the field.
"I think it brings everyone together in a really cool way where, obviously, everybody gets minutes, every single guy on the team," Haines said. "They play in front of a big crowd. They play on their home field. You get some debuts and you get some first career goals tonight. So, I think all of that just brings the group together and has everybody very much supporting one another from the sidelines and on the field."
Up Next:
The Panthers travel to Rock Hill, S.C., to face Winthrop on Tuesday, September 29 at 6 p.m.
#GoHPU
