SPORTS

HIGH POINT, N.C. — After a deadlock matchup, where Davidson and High Point were tied up seven different times and needed overtime to find a winner, the Wildcats ultimately came out on top this afternoon, taking down the Panthers, 15-14.

The ‘Cats had eight different players appear in the scoring column, as the offense was well spread today, while Amanda Monahan once again held down Davidson’s defense, stopping 12 shots en route to her fourth career win in net. Sam Rippley led Davidson’s scoring brigade with a game-high five goals, including three in the second half alone, and the eventual game-winner in overtime.

“I am incredibly proud of the way our team fought tonight,” said Head Coach Kim Wayne. “We knew playing High Point was going to be a battle, but it was a battle we were ready to fight. We have so much respect for their team and how powerful they are, so even in the end we knew they could come back. Seeing the team finish the way they did with huge saves in cage for Amanda, heads up transition runs for Natalie and then the final goal by Sam was truly special. I have never seen my team as excited as they were tonight. I want them to take pride in this win but then to get ready for what’s next. Today was about learning what we need to fix so that come conference we are ready to compete.”

The first half proved to be an intense defensive battle, with the ‘Cats and Panthers going back and forth, exchanging leads from the jump. Between Davidson and High Point, no team led by more than one goal until three-time Rookie of the Week, Julianne Carey scored the Wildcats’ fifth goal of the day to lead the Panthers 5-3 with 2:33 left in the first.

After extending the lead to two, High Point answered the ‘Cats right back with two straight scores of their own to settle the game at five points apiece. With the game tied up in the final minute of the half, Emma Johnson and Gianna New combined for back-to-back goals in the last 37 seconds to lift the Wildcats to a 7-5 advantage heading into the second.

The final half of play proved to have just as much gridlock as the first, as the Panthers tied things up, 8-8, after scoring three-straight to open up the frame. Davidson responded down the stretch, scoring two in a row themselves, including a give-and-go feed from Grace Fahey to Erin Cooke for her second of the day. With Cooke’s goal, the ‘Cats led 10-9 with 15 minutes to go in regulation. Over the final quarter of the contest, Rippley scored two of her five goals on two straight free position shots to extend Davidson’s advantage. Two later scores from Jane DiGregorio gave the ‘Cats a lead with 30 seconds remaining in regulation, until the Panthers equalized in the final six seconds.

Forcing the overtime period, HPU won the initial draw but another clutch save from Monahan allowed Davidson to clear the ball and let Rippley drive straight to the goal and net the game-winner.

The Wildcats will be back in action this weekend to take on Coastal Carolina in Conway, South Carolina.