• Junior Jason Ashwood racked up a career-high four points (3g, 1a) with all of the tallies coming in the third quarter.
• Senior Michael LeClair registered two second-half assists to extend his scoring streak to 46 games, which is the second longest in the nation
• Sophomore Tim Troutner Jr. tallied a career-high 19 saves while picking up the first assist of his career.
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The High Point University men’s lacrosse team fell 18-12 at No. 11 Virginia in a fast-paced, high-scoring affair on Wednesday night in Klöckner Stadium.
Both teams went on 3-0 runs in the first quarter as the contest was tied 3-3 14 minutes into the contest. However, the Cavaliers (4-1) went on a 10-0 run into the third quarter to grab control.
The Panthers (2-3) battled back to within five on three occasions, but couldn’t get any closer as UVA took home the win to even the all-time series between the two programs at 1-1.
“Hats off to UVA and their staff because they executed and finished their possessions a lot better than us tonight,” head coach Jon Torpey said. “I was impressed with the energy, fight and overall effort our guys showed. Our biggest challenge moving forward is our ability to sustain and improve these effort related categories while executing fundamentals and our gameplan at a much greater rate. We look forward to getting back on the field to fix our deficiencies leading into the weekend against an excellent opponent in Robert Morris.”
Sophomore Tim Troutner Jr. posted a career day making 19 saves while also adding six ground balls, two caused turnovers and his first collegiate assist.
On the offensive end, junior Jason Ashwood registered his first career hat trick to go along with an assist while netting all three of his goals in the third quarter. Similarly, senior Nick Basile posted his second career multi-goal game scoring twice. Also at attack, junior Connor Robinson posted two goals and an assist.
Rounding out the multi-point scorers, senior Michael LeClair chipped in with two assists while senior Sean Harrison registered a goal and an assist.
LeClair’s two assists extended his scoring streak to 46 contests – the second longest active streak in the nation.
Defensively, junior Terrell Sands posted a career-high three caused turnovers while picking up four ground balls and chipping in with an assist. Likewise, sophomore Griff Caligiuri set new career highs in ground balls (6) and caused turnovers (2).
Freshmen Grant Bimstefer, Nate Carter and Nick Walsh each scored the first goals of their career while freshmen Luke Cappetto and Ricky Koehler notched their first collegiate assists.
Wrapping up the scoring, senior Cole Carns recorded his second goal of the season as freshman Mitchel Snyder was credited with an assist.
HPU outscored UVA 6-3 in the third period and have outscored its last two opponents in the third frame by a 14-3 mark.
The home squad was able to control the face-off ‘X’ going 25-of-33 and won the ground ball battle 54-40. That led to a 51-41 margin in shots and a 37-24 edge in shots on goal.
In the early going, the Cavaliers leaped out to a 3-0 run taking advantage of a couple High Point turnovers. However, Carns put the Panthers on the board with a dodge from up top at the 4:58 mark of the first.
Three minutes later, Basile rifled a goal past the keeper off an assist from Snyder to pull HPU within one. On the next UVA possession, Sands intercepted a pass and led a fast break that resulted in Carter’s goal to even the score at 3-all with a minute left in the first.
But Virginia responded with 8-0 over the final 16 minutes of the first half to build an 11-3 edge at the break.
After halftime, Virginia added two more to its lead before Cappetto found Ashwood for a transition goal at the 7:44 mark to make it 13-4 and reignite the offense.
Ashwood scored again before Bimstefer netted a goal to make it 13-6 with 5:26 on the clock. After UVA tallied its 14th goal, Harrison, Ashwood and Basile all scored to send the game to the fourth with the Cavaliers leading 14-9.
In the final frame, Robinson and Walsh scored transition goals at the 12:47 and 8:24 marks to pull HPU back within five. But each time UVA answered as the home team held on for an 18-12 victory.
The Panthers return home on Sunday at 4 p.m. to host Robert Morris in the second half of a double-header with the women’s lacrosse team.