HIGH POINT, N.C. - The High Point University women's soccer team jumped out to a 3-0 lead against Coastal Carolina and held on to pick up a 3-2 win in Big South action on Saturday evening at Vert Stadium. Redshirt-freshman Kelsey Perrell had a goal and an assist in the win.

"It is really good to pick up the win here tonight," head coach Marty Beall said. "We were really clicking in the first half and our offense was connecting passes very well. In the second half, you have to give credit to Coastal Carolina for fighting back but you also have to give credit to our players for fighting through and playing all the way to the end."

Perrell gave HPU an early 1-0 lead in the 10th minute with her team-high fifth goal of the season. Senior Becca Hemby hit a long cross to Perrell who was unmarked in the box. The forward took the ball down and beat the keeper with a shot to the left to put the Panthers ahead.

Senior Kelli Joline doubled the High Point lead in the 26th minute with an impressive individual effort leading to her fifth goal of the season. Joline controlled a Coastal Carolina goal kick and beat two CCU defenders as she dribbled into the box. She then hit a hard shot past the Chanticleer keeper and into the right side netting to put HPU ahead 2-0.

Coastal Carolina continued to push forward looking for a goal which opened up the counter for Jacky Kessler who scored with a shot from distance in the 61st minute to make push the High Point lead to 3-0. Kessler was played in one-on-one with a CCU defender by Perrell and cut back with her left foot before unleashing a shot from 30-yards out for her second goal in as many games.

The Chanticleers refused to go away quietly, cutting the deficit to one with a goal in the 64th minute by Amber Adams and another in the 72nd minute by Fia Jonsson. Following the second Coastal goal, High Point tightened its defense in the final minutes and ran out the clock to seal the win.

High Point finished the game with a 15-9 edge in shots, putting six of its shots on frame. Senior Jesse May made two saves in the game to earn the win for High Point. Megan Spencer made one save in 64 minutes and took the loss for CCU.

The Panthers improve to 5-6-0 overall and 3-1-0 in the Big South with the win. Coastal Carolina drops to 5-6-1 overall and 2-2-0 in the Big South.

After playing two-straight games at Vert Stadium, High Point next travels to Farmville, Va., to take on Longwood University on Wednesday, Oct. 9. The game will kick off at 7 p.m.

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