BOX SCORE

The High Point University women's soccer team led No. 4 Maryland early on a goal by freshman Kelli Joline but ultimately fell to the Terrapins, 4-1, in the first round of the NCAA Women's Soccer Championship on Friday evening in College Park, Md.

“I thought we did a fantastic job here tonight,” head coach Marty Beall said. “Maryland is clearly one of the best teams in the country and I thought our team defending was fantastic. They had few dangerous chances in the game. I thought our heart and character and the way we represented High Point University was second to none.”

The Panthers jumped out to a 1-0 lead in just the eighth minute of play as junior Katie Taber found Joline for her 11th goal of the season. Taber stole the ball from a Terrapin defender and started a counter attack, drawing two defenders to her before dropping it off to Joline. The freshman took one touch before hitting it past the onrushing Maryland keeper for High Point's first lead in an NCAA tournament game.

“It was a great start for us obviously,” Beall said. Katie Taber and Kelli Joline have worked well together all season long and did it tonight on the biggest stage of their career, hooking up for a beautiful goal. Kelli Joline has an incredibly bright future here at High Point.”

Joline's finishes her freshman season with 11 goals, an HPU Division I single-season record. Her goal was just High Point's second in the NCAA Women's Soccer Championship.

The High Point lead would last just 21 seconds as the Terp's Jasmyne Spencer scored to tie the game at 1-1. Spencer carried the ball down the left side and crossed into Danielle Hubke whose shot was blocked. Spencer pounced on the rebound and hit it in for the equalizer.

Maryland continued to press forward in the first half, outshooting the Panthers 11-1 in the period. But the HPU defense remained organized and allowed the Terps just two more shots on frame in the opening 45. As the first half wound to a close, the score remained locked at 1-1.

The Terps took the lead in the 70th minute as Maryland's Sade Ayinde converted a free kick from 20-yards out to make the score 2-1. The Terrapins' Spencer drew the foul just outside the 18 to give Maryland the free kick. Ayinde stepped up and converted the kick with a shot to the top right corner.

With High Point pushing forward, Maryland would get two goals on counters by Megan Gibbens and Erika Theisen in the final 10 minutes to bring the final score to 4-1. Gibbens scored in the 81st with a finish at the right post and Theisen hit a hard shot from just inside the 18 which deflected off the hands of junior goalkeeper Andrea Ritchie and bounced over the line.

The Panthers did a good job of limiting Maryland's scoring chances as the Terps had just nine shots on goal in the contest. Ritchie made five saves in the game, including a great diving fingertip save early in the second half to keep the game tied at 1-1.

High Point finishes the season with a record of 11-11-1. The Panthers went 9-3-1 in their final 13 games, outscoring their opponents 25-8 in that stretch.