HIGH POINT, N.C. --- The High Point Panthers scored a late goal off a corner to snatch a narrow 1-0 win over Gardner-Webb in Big South Conference play on Saturday evening in a match that featured numerous scoring opportunities for both sides.
High Point (9-6-1, 6-1-0 Big South) earned the bulk of the tangible scoring chances throughout the contest, outshooting Gardner-Webb (3-12-1, 1-6-1 Big South) by a 20-6 margin, including a 12-2 advantage in the opening 45 minutes. The Panthers also held a 9-3 edge in attempts from the corner.
Denzel Clarke (Atlanta, Ga.) paced the Gardner-Webb attack with three shots, including one on frame, as Ali Al-Gashamy (Kristiansand, Norway) forced a save with each of his two chances on goal.
Matthew Swan (Newport, South Wales, United Kingdom) stood tall throughout the match and almost singlehandedly kept the sides deadlocked for the balance of the 90, making seven saves in one of his finest efforts of the season.
Adam Storm scored the only goal of the match for High Point, connecting on his lone shot on frame, as Renato Punyed supplied the assist on Storm's late winner. Mamadee Nyepon paced the Panther attack with five shots, including two on frame, while Kody Palmer stopped three shots to keep the clean sheet.
The match remained scoreless through the opening 45 minutes and nearly all of the second half, with both sides testing the opposing defense multiple times in the first period. Perhaps the best chance for either squad in the first half came in the 39th minute, when High Point's Ben Burdon broke through on a breakaway and sent a driven strike just high of the bar.
Gardner-Webb's attack generated the balance of its chances in the second half, putting four shots toward goal and keeping the High Point backline on its heels for much of the final 45. Al-Gashamy and Clarke each came within inches of a breakthrough seconds apart, with both forcing a skillful stop from the Panther keeper in the 68th minute.
Patrick Gurser (Frankfurt, Germany) orchestrated perhaps the Runnin' Bulldogs' most lethal chance late on in the 81st minute, settling a ball and nearly catching the High Point keeper off his line with a high arcing volley from 35 yards out.
High Point took advantage of a momentary defensive lapse just over two minutes later, earning a corner with an inventive buildup. Punyed took the corner and swung a looping ball into the box, finding the feet of Storm who settled and sent a strike into the upper 90 from 12 yards out to give the Panthers a 1-0 advantage.
The strike would prove to be the only goal of the match, as High Point held off several Gardner-Webb counters to hang on for the narrow victory.
Gardner-Webb returns to the pitch for its regular season finale on Wednesday evening, traveling to Farmville, Va. to take on Longwood in a crucial Big South battle. Kickoff is slated for 6:00 pm.
