HIGH POINT, N.C. - Senior Taylor Parker recorded her first career hat trick to lead the High Point University women’s soccer team to a 6-0 win over VMI in Big South Conference action on Wednesday night at Vert Stadium. Taylor finished with three goals and an assist in the win for HPU.

“I thought we were fantastic tonight,” head coach Marty Beall said. “I was very happy with our work rate from the beginning of the game to the end. I thought we dominated in every facet of the game tonight. I can’t express how proud I am of this team.”

Parker scored her first three goals of the season to pick up the hat trick, the Panthers’ third in the past four seasons. Danielle Schepler had three goals in a win over UNC Asheville last season while senior Kelli Joline accomplished the feat as a freshman against Gardner-Webb in 2010.

High Point controlled play from the opening whistle and took a 1-0 lead in the 20th minute on Parker’s first goal of the contest. The senior received a square ball from senior Becca Hemby and dribbled into the box. She then hit a ball back across from the right side of the penalty area to the left post for the score.

Parker doubled her goal total in the 28th minute with a shot from the top of the VMI box to put HPU ahead, 2-0. Redshirt-freshman Kelsey Perrell took the ball off a VMI defender’s foot and hit a ball over to Parker who settled it and hit a shot into the upper 90 just inside the right post.

High Point pushed its lead to 3-0 in the 36th minute on sophomore Amy Burch’s first goal of the season when the defender scored off a rebound on a set piece. HPU earned a free kick just over the half line and Perrell hit a free kick into the box to junior Sarah Sermonet. The forward hit a header on frame that was saved off the crossbar and the rebound fell to Burch who struck it first time into the side netting for the goal.

Following halftime, HPU continued to extend its lead on a goal by Perrell in the 54th minute, making the score 4-0. Perrell took a pass from Parker in the midfield and dribbled forward into space before unleashing a low shot from 25-yards out that ran just inside the low post.

Parker finished her hat trick six minutes later, extending the Panther lead to 5-0 with a goal off a pass from senior Sammy Vercellino. The defender hit a diagonal ball from the right side of midfield to the top left corner of the VMI penalty area. Parker made a run to the far post and took one touch around the keeper before finishing with an easy shot into the net.

Perrell picked up her second goal of the game and her fourth of the season in the 72nd minute to make the final score 6-0. Freshman Marissa Sullivan won a 50-50 ball and hit a pass through the VMI back line to Perrell. The redshirt-freshman beat the on-rushing keeper to the ball and slotted a shot into the net for the goal.

High Point finished with a 32-2 edge in shots and a 19-2 advantage in shots on goal. Senior Jesse May made two saves in the contest to earn the win and her second-straight shutout.

The win was High Point’s third in a row and it improves the Panthers record on the season to 3-5-0 overall and 1-0-0 in the Big South. VMI drops to 2-6-0 and 0-1-0 in conference play.

HPU returns to the road on Saturday, Sept. 28, when the team travels to Boiling Springs to take on Gardner-Webb University. The game is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.

---

RECOMMENDED FOR YOU

Men's NCAA Tournament First Round Recap

TeamRank Presented By TeamSnap - Boys

Midwest High School Roundup - Nov.