CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – The High Point University men's lacrosse team fell to Duke 16-10 on Sunday night in the first round of the NCAA Men’s Lacrosse Championship. Asher Nolting led the way in scoring for the Purple & White as he had four points on the night in his NCAA tournament debut.
Kevin Rogers made the most of his NCAA Division I tournament debut, scoring two goals on the evening.
After a 4-0 Blue Devil run, The Panthers found an answer as time expired at the end of the first. Brayden Mayea shined on the biggest stage he has seen yet in his young career, scoring the opening goal for the Panthers. In an electric sequence, Jack Vanoverbeke threw a beautiful check as Duke's goalie attempted to clear by coming out of the crease. The check knocked the ball loose and Mayea picked it up and scored on an empty net with less than 10 seconds left in the first quarter.
The open net-goal brought Mayea the 36th goal of his freshman season.
Nolting scored his first NCAA tournament goal with 13:42 to go in the second half. He was assisted by fellow senior Sean Coughlin.
Colin Clothier provided a great sequence with 9:01 remaining, causing a turnover with the help of Joel Scerbo. Scerbo scooped it up passed it off the Mayea, who found a wide-open Clothier, who buried a shot from deep to make it a 5-3 game in the second quarter.
Again, with less than 10 seconds to play in the second quarter, Mayea scored his 37th goal of the season and he was assisted by Nolting.
Rogers opened the second half with a goal for HPU and ended the year with 38 goals.
Koby Russell scored his eighth goal of the season with less than two minutes to play in the third quarter.
Vanoverbeke had maybe the best game of his freshman career in the NCAA first round game as he scored two goals and had the caused turnover that started the scoring for High Point.
Tyler Stinson scored his second goal of the season in the fourth quarter.
HPU ends the season with an 8-6 record after winning its second SoCon title. High Point has now made two trips to the NCAA tournament. The Panthers capped the night with the announcement of two Inside Lacrosse All-Americans in Kevin Rogers (third team) and Asher Nolting (honorable mention).