BOILING SPRINGS. N.C. - The High Point University men's soccer team beat Gardner-Webb 2-1 on Saturday in Boiling Springs, N.C. Senior Adam Sewell scored the game-winning goal for the Panthers.

"This was a massive result for us," said head coach Dustin Fonder. "The team challenged themselves to finish the season with four wins. This is number two in that stretch and puts us in good position for the final two games. It showed the character of our team that they responded with a goal so quickly after going down. We have spent a lot of time on set pieces in practice and we saw the result of that on the second goal when they executed it perfectly."

HPU improves to 6-7-3 on the season and 4-2-2 in Big South play. Gardner-Webb drops to 9-7-1 overall and 6-4 against league opponents.

Gardner-Webb got on the board first, scoring in the 10th minute. Patrick Gurser played a through ball that Denzel Clarke corralled at the top of the box. Clarke scored on a shot to the right post. The goal was Clarke's 16th of the season, the most in the nation.

Redshirt-junior Sonny Mukungu evened the game for High Point in the 14th minute. Pat Shelton had header go off the cross bar and Mukungu headed in the rebound to knot up the game.

Gurser had an opportunity to put Gardner-Webb ahead in the 40th minute, but his shot from the top of the box went just wide. HPU also had a chance with 30 seconds remaining in the first period but the shot from junior Mamadee Neypon went wide.

The Panthers drew a corner in the 56th minute. Freshman Renato Punyed played the ball short to sophomore Austin Yearwood. Yearwood sent the ball to the far post where Sewell tapped it in to give High Point the 2-1 lead.

Nyepon had another scoring chance with three minutes remaining. He was one-on-one with the keeper and Matthew Swan was able to get a hand on Nyepon's shot and push it wide.

Redshirt-sophomore Kody Palmer made six saves in the win. Swan made five saves for the Runnin' Bulldogs.

High Point finished the game with a 17-10 advantage in shots. Nyepon had a team-high five shots with two on goal and Shelton added three shots.

The Panthers return home on Wednesday, Nov. 6, to host Presbyterian College at 7 p.m. The Blue Hose are 3-13-0 overall and 1-7-0 in the Big South this season. The game is HPU's final home match of the regular season. 

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