High Point 1, UNCG 0
HIGH POINT, N.C. – The UNCG men’s soccer dominated play Wednesday night but the Spartans suffered a 1-0 overtime loss to Triad rival High Point at Vert Stadium. The Spartans out-shot the Panthers 21-13 in the game and held an 11-2 edge in corner kicks as they controlled the play for most of the game. HPU took advantage of an unlucky UNCG bounce in the 99th minute to score the game’s lone goal.
The overtime period saw the two teams play most of the extra period in the midfield. The Panthers had a counterattack and sent a cross into the box, where a UNCG defender attempted to head the ball away from goal. The clearance went awry and toward goal, but UNCG keeper Logan Rohde was able to make a diving save on the almost own goal. The rebound fell to the back post, where Renato Punyed was able to tap it in for the game-winning goal.
Senior forward Jacques Francois and junior forward Damieon Thomas paced the Spartans’ attack with six shots apiece in the loss. High Point goalkeeper Kody Palmer posted seven saves and the Panthers had a team save that helped it keep the Spartans off the board.
The Spartans had their first chance of the game in the ninth minute of action. Francois sent a through ball to Thomas. Thomas ripped a shot on goal but Palmer made a diving stab to keep the Spartans off the board.
Thomas again had a chance in the 21st minute. He brought the ball down at the top of the 18-yard box and made a move to get open. He fired a shot past Palmer but a backtracking HPU defender was able to clear the ball from the line. Freshman midfielder Mateo Busio had a run at a shot from 20 yards out sail just over the crossbar in the 26th minute of play.
Francois and Thomas teamed up again in the 40th minute for another strong opportunity. Francois put the pressure on the HPU defense with his pace and dropped a pass off to Thomas making a run into the box. He fired a shot from 15 yards out that was heading toward the goal, but Palmer made a sprawling save to keep the game scoreless at halftime.
High Point had its first chance of the game in the 63rd minute of play. Substitution Avery Ryan made a run down the middle on a counterattack and struck a shot from 25 yards out that sailed just over the crossbar, keeping the game scoreless.
Freshman midfielder Leeroy Maguraushe had a chance in the 68th minute of action off a free kick. Maguraushe took a turn at a shot from 30 yards out, but Palmer was there to make the save. Francois came within inches of giving the Spartans the lead in the 78th minute. He turned the corner and ripped a shot on a hard angle that Palmer made a diving save.
High Point had its second chance in the 82nd minute. Punyed made a run down the middle and struck a shot from 30 yards out that Rohde was able to smother to keep the game scoreless. The Spartans had another chance on the immediate counterattack as Francois gained possession at the midfield and used his speed to put the HPU defense on its heels. Francois was able to strike a shot from the top of the 18-yard box but his shot just sailed over the crossbar.
The Spartans close out the nonconference portion of the season Saturday afternoon as they travel to Morgantown, W.Va., to take on West Virginia. Game time against the Mountaineers is set for noon.