BUIES CREEK, N.C. – After battling to a 4-4 draw through regulation and two overtime periods, High Point advanced to the Big South Conference semifinals with a 5-3 penalty kick shootout over host Campbell Tuesday at the Eakes Athletic Complex.

 

The fifth-seeded Panthers (12-4-3) will meet top-seeded and eighth-ranked Coastal Carolina Friday in a 4:00 p.m. kick-off at Bryan Park in Greensboro.  Sixth seed Winthrop upset third-seeded Liberty 2-1 in overtime Tuesday and will take on second-seeded Radford in the 7:00 p.m. semifinal.

 

Fourth-seeded Campbell (12-5-2) saw its season conclude after battling back from a two-goal deficit in the first half and from one-goal down in the second.

 

Mamadee Nyepon scored twice in the first 17 minutes for High Point, then provided the decisive penalty strike in the shootout.  Shawn Sloan and Leon Carby added goals for the Panthers, who rallied from an early 1-0 hole to lead 3-1 after 28:16 of play.

 

Bryce Miller scored two goals and added an assist for Campbell.  Ricki Gaez and Aleksi Tossavainen also found the nets for CU.  Senior Mitchell Cardenas, who entered the game ranked third nationally in assists, set up two scores in his final collegiate match.  Justin Franz also had two assists for the Camels, who recorded their highest wins total (12) since 2008.

 

In a wild first half, the teams combined to score six goals on 16 shots but were deadlocked at three after 45 minutes.

 

Gaez put Campbell ahead in the fifth minute when he dribbled by the High Point back line and slotted home his eighth goal of the year by Panther keeper Kody Palmer.

 

High Point drew level through Nyepon in the 12th minute, when the all-conference forward turned and hit a left-footed shot into the top corner of Ethan Hall’s net.  Just 5:25 later, Nyepon scored his second goal of the game and 12th of the season with a shot from inside the box.

 

The lead reached two in the 29th minute when Shawn Sloan scored on a left-footed blast from outside the area that followed a turnover in the Campbell end.

 

Miller pulled the Camels within one just 1:14 later after Cardenas’ cross found the feet of the sophomore from Roanoke, Va.  Less than three minutes later the Camels were level after Tossavainen controlled Cardenas’ corner kick and slotted home a right-footed shot for his third goal of 2012.

 

Carby pushed the Panthers in front once again after 55 minutes when he ran on to a pass from Ryan Bennett and chipped the ball over Hall.

 

Nyepon just missed a hat trick in the 69th minute as his header glanced off the cross bar for a goal kick.

 

Miller equalized in the 79th when he scored his fourth goal on a build-up down the left flank.  Franz sent a diagonal pass to Cameron Mulvey, who slid the ball to Miller in the area.

 

Carby nearly put High Point back ahead in the 80th minute when he broke free in the area, but his shot hit the left post squarely and caromed back to Hall, who covered.

 

The best chance for either team in 20 minutes of extra time came in the 101st minute when Gaez dribbled through the High Point defense and pushed the ball by the keeper, only to hit the right outside net with his attempt from a sharp angle.

 

Campbell finished with a 20-14 edge in shots (13-7 in shots on target).  Palmer finished with nine saves in the High Point nets, while Hall had three stops for Campbell.

 

In the penalty kick shootout, High Point faced Hall, who saved three PKs in the regular season, including one against Adam Sewell in Campbell’s 2-1 victory over the Panthers on Oct. 17.

 

However, on Tuesday night, each of High Point’s five shooters was able to beat Hall, who got a hand on two of the attempts, but was unable to keep the ball out of the goal.

 

Sewell opened the shootout by making his penalty; then Campbell’s Travis Golden hit the crossbar with his attempt.  Each of the next three shooters for both teams made their kicks before Nyepon provided the decisive point in the fifth round.

 

Cardenas ended his career as the 15th-leading scorer in the 50-season history of Campbell men’s soccer.  The native of Mexico City, who prepped at College Park (Texas) High School finished with 78 points on 22 goals and 34 assists in 76 matches (75 starts). 

 

The 4-time all-conference performer ranks seventh on Campbell’s all-time assists charts, fifth in starts and ninth in appearances.  Cardenas’ 14 assists not only lead the Big South Conference, but are tied for third on Campbell’s all-time single-season list.

 

Cardenas played all 1750 minutes this season for Campbell, which ended the year with a 7-1-1 record at home.  Senior Ben Iiames defender concluded his career Tuesday night by making his 70th-consecutive start.  Fellow senior Keegan Terry also played in his 66th and final match for the Orange & Black.