LATE GOALS FORCE DRAW IN BIG SOUTH OPENER

BOX SCORE

RADFORD, Va. – Radford evened the match twice in the final seven minutes as it played to a 2-2 draw with High Point in the Big South opener for both squads on Thursday evening from Cupp Memorial Stadium.

The final seven-plus minutes provided excitement on both ends of the field. The Highlanders (4-2-1, 0-0-1 Big South) tied it at 1-1 when freshman Asyia Mitchell knotted the match with 7:09 left on a great individual effort and finish into the side netting.

With just under four minutes remaining, the Panthers (1-4-5, 0-0-1), reestablished their one-goal advantage (2-1) when Kelli Joline got in behind the defense and put away what looked like the game-winner. However, junior Rachel Conway recorded the equalizer just 16 seconds later on a long-range strike from 25 yards out that went off the fingertips of HPU keeper Jesse May.

It was Mitchell's first collegiate score and Conway's team-leading fourth goal of the season. Jenny Butler set up HPU's second goal with a long feed to an open Joline.

In the overtime sessions, Radford outshot High Point 6-3, including 4-1 in the second stanza, but each keeper was up to the task. Junior Che' Brown made two stops in the first 10 minutes, while May registered two saves and Ivy Cocklereece stopped the final attempt with 11 second in the match for her lone save of the night.

Brown finished with a season-high eight saves, five in the second half. She was also helped out in the 53^rd minute when sophomore Stephanie Herb cleared a ball off the line. May collected six saves.

High Point's fist half goal came on a counter in the 32^nd minute following an offensive surge that featured a pair of blocked shots and a corner kick by the Highlanders. A ball headed out of the midfield by Katie Harris went off a Radford defenders' foot and rolled to Jackie Kessler, who ripped a shot off the inside of the post and into the goal.

The Highlanders, who had several possessions in the Panthers final third, could not generate many scoring opportunities despite outshooting them, 8-6 and recording two corner kicks in the first 45 minutes.

For the match, High Point held a slight advantage in shots, 24-22, while Radford earned eight corner kicks and surrendered just two. Kessler finished with a match-best seven shots, while Conway targeted the goal at team-high five times for Radford.

Radford remains at home to host Campbell on Saturday at 2:00 p.m. in a rematch of the 2011 Big South Championship match.

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