The High Point University women’s soccer team picked up its second-straight overtime win on Saturday as sophomore Sammy Vercellino (Crown Point, Ind./Crown Point) scored in the 97th minute to propel HPU to a 1-0 win over VMI on Senior Night at Vert Stadium.

“This was a good win for us tonight,” head coach Marty Beall said. “We created numerous chances, which is exciting. Our ball movement was fantastic as was our movement off the ball. We had some dangerous service into the box and plenty of dangerous chances. Unfortunately we didn’t finish as many as we created. The positive thing is we are creating chances and that is the first step. A wise man said scoring goals is the hardest thing to do in soccer and that is correct.”

Vercellino pounced on a rebound from a shot by junior Katie Harris (Tabernacle, N.J./Seneca) and hit a hard shot into the net to give High Point the win late in the first period of extra time. Harris took a hard low shot from just outside the box towards the right post, forcing a diving save by VMI keeper Amanda Berrios. Berrios stopped the shot, but could not hold on to the ball as it bounced right to the onrushing Vercellino for the defender’s second tally of the season.

With the win High Point improves to 7-8-3 overall and 5-1-3 in the Big South. The Panthers have now played three-straight overtime games and six overtime games overall with a 2-1-3 record in those contests. VMI falls to 3-11-2 overall and 0-7-1 in the Big South with the loss.

HPU controlled the run of play throughout the game, putting up a record 32 shots in the game with 14 on net. Sophomore Becca Hemby (Frederick, Md./Gov. Thomas Johnson) had nine shots in the game with five on frame while sophomore Kelli Joline (Lancaster, Pa./Hempfield) put up seven shots including three on traget. The Panthers’ previous record for shots in a game was 31 shots against Tennessee-Martin on September 25, 1999. High Point ended the game with a 32-3 advantage in shots with a 14-1 edge in shots on goal.

Senior Andrea Ritchie (Winston-Salem, N.C./Mount Tabor) saved VMI’s only shot on goal midway through the second half with a diving stop to preserve her fourth-straight shutout and her sixth of the season. Ritchie and the HPU defense are currently enjoying a scoreless streak of 418 minutes stretching back to the game at Gardner-Webb on Oct. 8.

In eight conference games this season, the senior keeper has a 0.58 goals-against average and an .844 save percentage with 27 stops and five shutouts. The win was Ritchie’s 21st in her career which ties her with former teammate Marisa Abbott for the most career wins in HPU Division I history.

“Our great defense starts from our offense,” Beall said. "Our ability to keep possession of the ball limits our opponents’ ability to attack us. When we do lose possession, our defensive transition has been fantastic. We also have a great goalkeeper that is playing very well and making the saves she needs to make. She is really doing great stuff for us.”

High Point finishes the season with a 4-0-1 record against Big South opponents at Vert Stadium. It is the second-straight season that the Panthers have gone undefeated on their home field.

HPU will attempt to push its unbeaten streak to five straight when the team heads to Asheville, N.C., on Thursday, Oct. 27, to play the Bulldogs of UNC Asheville at 2 p.m. High Point holds a 7-7-2 record in 16 all-time meetings with Asheville. Last season, the Panthers pulled out a 2-1 win in overtime at Vert Stadium thanks to a sliding header in the first period of extra time by Jillie Johnston.