HIGH POINT, N.C. - Junior Sarah Sermonet scored with a header in the 104th minute to give the High Point University women's soccer team a 1-0 win over East Carolina in double-overtime on Friday night at Vert Stadium. The win was HPU's second-straight overall and its second-straight in double OT.

"This is a great win for our program," head coach Marty Beall said. "We have never beaten East Carolina so this win speaks volumes about the hard work our girls have put in every day. Tonight was a great game. It was a very even game that either team could have won. I am very proud of the way our girls responded to the athleticism of a very good ECU team."

With the score knotted at 0-0, the Panthers drew a corner kick after a nice combination of passes freed senior Sammy Vercellino down the right flank. Senior Brooke Lisson took the corner kick and hit the ball to the top of the six-yard box. Sermonet beat her mark and snapped a header to the far post to give High Point the win. The goal was the first of Sermonet's collegiate career.

Neither team had many scoring chances during regulation as both teams defended well, making it difficult to carve out openings in the offensive third. East Carolina's best scoring chance came in the 49th minute when Kelsey Reeves took a shot from just outside the HPU penalty area, forcing a full diving stop by Panther keeper Jesse May.

Just a minute later, senior Becca Hemby appeared to put High Point ahead with her first goal of the season when she split two ECU defenders in the box and beat the goalkeeper with a low shot, but the senior was called offsides negating the goal.

HPU had the better of the scoring chances in extra time with four shots to the Pirates' one. The two teams finished regulation with 12 shots apiece. East Carolina finished the game with a slim 6-5 advantage in shots on goal and a 10-5 edge in corner kicks.

May finished the game with six saves to earn her second-straight win and her first clean sheet of the season. Baron made four saves for the Pirates in the loss.

The win over ECU is High Point's first in six tried against the Pirates. The Panthers were 0-4-1 in five previous meetings with East Carolina.

HPU improves its record to 2-5-0 on the season with the win as the Panthers conclude non-conference play and enter the Big South portion of their schedule. East Carolina drops to 3-4-2 overall with the loss.

High Point returns to action on Wednesday, Sept. 25, when the team hosts VMI at Vert Stadium in both teams' Big South opener. Kickoff for the game is set for 7 p.m.

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