The High Point University men’s soccer team overcame a one hour and 20 minute rain delay and exploded for three goals on Thursday night at Vert Stadium to earn its first win of the season with a 3-1 triumph over the Lipscomb Bison.

“We were very pleased to pick up our first win of the season,” head coach Dustin Fonder said. “To do it at home in front of a nice crowd even after the rain was exciting for our team. To score three goals was an added bonus. Now we have a lot of work to do over the weekend to get ready for our Big South home opener.”

Junior midfielder Shawn Sloan (Geneva, Ill./Geneva) scored a goal and had an assist to go along with goals by sophomore Adam Sewell (Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, England/East Norfolk Sixth Form College) and senior Karo Okiomah (Austin, Texas/Hendrickson-Pflugerville).

HPU improves to 1-0-1 on the year while Lipscomb falls to 0-3-0.

High Point controlled the flow of play through much of the first half, putting up six shots to the Bison’s three and earning four corner kicks before a severe thunderstorm forced a stoppage of play for almost an hour and a half in the 27th minute of play.

Sloan broke the scoreless tie shortly after the delay in the 43rd minute with HPU’s first goal of the season. Redshirt-junior Ryan Bennett (Cary, N.C./Cary Christian) played the ball into the box from the left side where Sloan brought it down, took one touch and fired it past Lipscomb keeper Brent McGee from about 10 yards out.

Sewell added an insurance goal for the Panthers in the 63rd minute, connecting on a header at the left post off a free kick for his first tally of the season. A foul by Lipscomb gave the Panthers a free kick on the right side of the field about 40-yards from goal. Sloan lined up and pinged the ball to the far post where Sewell was able to make a run past the defense and connect on a diving header.

Two minutes after Sewell’s goal, Okiomah sealed the game with a penalty kick after Sloan was taken down in the box. Sloan dribbled past two defenders to get in on goal before being taken down from behind to draw the PK. Okiomah lined up for HPU and fired a low shot to the keeper’s right side for his first goal of the season, to make it 3-0.

Lipscomb broke through for a goal in the 78th minute when a low driven ball into the box was accidently deflected into the net by defender Todd Ray to make the score 3-1.

High Point outshot Lipscomb 19-11 in the game, putting six shots on net. The Panthers also held a 10-4 edge in corner kicks. Senior Michael Chesler (Highland, Utah/Mountain View) made five saves on the night to pick up his first win of the season.

High Point will next face conference rival Liberty University on Monday, September 5th at Vert Track, Soccer and Lacrosse Stadium. The Panthers have beaten Liberty in each of the past two years, including a 2-0 win in Lynchburg last season. Kickoff is set for 7 P.M.