A goal by junior Shawn Sloan (Geneva, Ill./Geneva) in the final minute of double overtime lifted the High Point University men’s soccer team to a 2-1 win over UNC Greensboro on Wednesday night in Greensboro, N.C. The midfielder finished with a goal and an assist in the win.

“I am really pleased to get a win on the road,” head coach Dustin Fonder said. “UNC Greensboro is an established nationally recognized program so it is a big win for us. They were missing a couple players today and we were able to take advantage and get a late goal. They are going to have a good season so this is a quality win for us.”

With just 40 seconds remaining in the match, Sloan stepped in front of an attempted clearance by the UNCG defense at the left side of the box and moved back towards the center of the field, shaking two UNCG defenders before unleashing a low shot back across the grain that ran just inside the left post for his third goal of the season.

The win was High Point’s second in a row and improves the Panthers’ record to 4-5-1 on the season. UNC Greensboro falls to 4-5-0 after the loss. HPU has now played four overtime games this season and is 1-2-1 in those games.

The Spartans controlled the run of play early in the game and in the 13^th minute UNCG earned a corner kick that Oddur Gudmundsson managed to head inside the near post to take an early 1-0 lead.

High Point quickly settled down following the Spartan goal, but the score remained 1-0 until the 32^nd minute when sophomore Adam Sewell (Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, England/East Norfolk Sixth Form College) headed in a goal off a free kick by Sloan to tie the game at 1-1. The Panthers drew a foul just inside the UNCG half and Sloan hit a hard ball into the box. Sewell set up with his back to the goal and flicked the ball on into the net past the frozen UNC Greensboro keeper.

Neither team was able to get on the scoreboard in the second half though both teams had quality chances. The Spartans best chance in the second period came in the 84th minute when Cameron Owens beat Chesler to a ball in the box and put a shot in on the empty net but junior Todd Ray (San Antonio, Texas/Central Catholic) tracked back and cleared the ball away for the team save.

Less than one minute later junior Shane Malcolm (Sunrise, Fla./Piper) got behind the UNCG backline and had a one-on-one opportunity with Spartan keeper Peyton Ford but his shot to the right post was stopped by an onrushing Ford to preserve the tie.

After a scoreless first period of extra time, High Point came out pushing for a goal in the final period of play. The Panthers appeared to grab the win two minutes prior to Sloan’s goal when a header by Will Stewart (Apex, N.C./Apex) off a corner kick was barely kept out by a sprawling Ford and the follow by Sewell was also stopped right on the line.

High Point finished with a 19-10 edge in shots and put 11 shots on goal to UNC Greensboro’s six. Senior netminder Michael Chesler (Highland, Utah/Mountain View) made four saves in the game to pick up the win.

The Panthers return to Big South action on Saturday, Oct. 8, when they travel to Asheville, N.C. to face UNC Asheville at 2 p.m. High Point is 14-6-1 all-time against the Bulldogs including a 3-0 win at home last season. Karo Okiomah (Austin, Texas/Hendrickson-Pflugerville) scored twice and Fejiro Okiomah (Austin, Texas/Hendrickson-Pflugerville) scored once in the win.

---

RECOMMENDED FOR YOU

Men's NCAA Tournament First Round Recap

TeamRank Presented By TeamSnap - Boys

Midwest High School Roundup - Nov.