HIGH POINT, N.C. - The High Point University women's soccer team came back from a halftime deficit to tie Elon, 1-1, on junior Becca Hemby's fifth goal of the season Friday night at Vert Stadium. HPU outshot the Phoenix 26-9 overall and 25-3 in the second half and extra time.

The first half saw both teams battling to maintain possession of the ball. High Point had the first quality chance to score in the fourth minute when Jacky Kessler received the ball 15-yards from goal and spun off her defender before trying to slot her shot just inside the right post. Elon's Kate Murphy went to ground to make the save and keep the score knotted at 0-0.

The Phoenix began to find space in the offensive third late in the opening half and in the 33rd minute took the lead on a goal by Simi Dhaliwal. Dhaliwal received the ball six-yards from goal with her back to the end line off a pass from Marissa Russo. The center flicked the ball over her head and the head of an onrushing Jesse May into the net for the score.

Following the halftime break the Panthers came out looking to seize control of the game. Seniors Danielle Schepler and Janay Whittaker, junior Brooke Lisson and Hemby all forced saves by the Phoenix keeper in the first 15 minutes of the second half.

High Point finally broke through to tie the game at 1-1 in the 71st minute when Hemby scored with a deflected shot from 10-yards out. Kessler started the sequence that led to the goal with a shot that was blocked 15-yards from goal. The rebound fell to junior Taylor Parker who hit a hard shot that clanged off the far post. Hemby secured the rebound and immediately hit a shot back across goal that deflected off an Elon defender at the far post for the score.

High Point continued to control the pace of the game throughout the final 19 minutes of regulation and all of extra time, outshooting the Phoenix 14-3 in the last 39 minutes of action, but was unable to find a second goal for the game winner.

The Panthers move to 1-3-4 on the season with the tie. HPU has become accustomed to tight games as the stalemate was High Point's seventh game this season that has been decided by one goal or ended in a tie. The four ties by High Point this season is already tied for second-most in a season in HPU's Div. I era.

High Point will wrap up its non-conference schedule on Sunday, Sept. 16, when the team travels to Morgantown, W.Va., to take on West Virginia out of the Big XII. High Point is 0-1 all-time against the Mountaineers after dropping a 1-0 decision in Morgantown last season. 

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