A penalty kick goal by sophomore Kelli Joline (Lancaster, Pa./Hempfield) helped High Point University pull out a 1-0 win over Liberty on a rainy Tuesday night at Vert Stadium. HPU held the Flames to just four shots on goal in the contest to pick up its third shutout of the season.

“I was very pleased with how the team played tonight,” head coach Marty Beall said. “Liberty is a good team that is very well coached and the weather really did not suit our style of play. Still the girls battled hard throughout the game, got a great result at home and a critical three points in the conference.”

The win was High Point’s third in its last five games as the Panthers improve to 5-8-2 overall and 3-1-1 in the Big South. Liberty falls to 5-5-3 overall and 2-2-1 in conference play.

Neither team was able to build much of an attack in the wet and misty weather with the majority of play confined to the midfield throughout the night.

The Panthers found the game’s only score in the 37th minute of play when freshman Sarah Sermonet (Brentwood, Tenn./Brentwood Academy) was brought down in the box to draw a penalty kick that was then converted by Joline. Sermonet beat the Flames’ center back to a ball over the top of the back line and carried it into the box where she was taken down from behind to draw the PK. Joline then stepped to the spot and calmly slotted the ball past the keeper with a shot to the right side. The score was the sophomore’s team-best sixth of the season and her second penalty kick goal.

Down one late in the half, Liberty twice threatened to score the equalizer but the Flames were stymied both times by senior keeper Andrea Ritchie (Winston-Salem, N.C./Mount Tabor). LU’s Lauren Stell hit a low shot to the left post in the 42nd minute that Ritchie managed to get down low and hit away. The rebound bounced out to Emily Hoy whose shot from ten yards out was stopped with a kick save by Ritchie.

The Flames final chance to tie the game came in the 89th minute when Liberty managed to draw a foul 30 yards from goal, but once again Ritchie proved up to the task. LU’s Sylvia Betancourt hit a bending shot to the left side of goal that Ritchie stopped with a diving effort to preserve the one-goal advantage.

Ritchie made four saves on the night to pick up her fourth win of the season and her third clean sheet in 2011.

High Point remains home as it continues its Big South slate with a game against Campbell on Thursday, Oct. 13 at 7 p.m. The Camels are currently leading the Big South with a 3-0-1 record in conference play. HPU lost at home to Campbell by a score of 1-0 last season and is winless in four all-time meetings.

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