High Point, N.C.--Following its 1-0 win over William & Mary last week the High Point University men's soccer team is ranked No. 23 in the nation in the latest NSCAA/Continental Tire NCAA Division I Poll released on Tuesday. The ranking marks the first time that HPU has appeared in the NSCAA Div. I national poll.
"These are exciting times for our program here at High Point University," head coach Dustin Fonder said. "For our program to be considered nationally relevant is a fantastic thing. A lot of hard work has gone into achieving this ranking. That being said it is hard to gain respect but easy to lose it so now we need to fight to protect it."
The Panthers held William & Mary without a shot on goal in its 1-0 win over the Tribe last Tuesday. Senior Shane Malcolm scored the lone goal of the match with a tally in the third minute off a pass through the backline by senior Shawn Sloan. The shutout was HPU's third straight its sixth of the season.
Senior Fejiro Okiomah was named the Big South Defensive Player of the Week after leading the High Point defense to its shutout over the Tribe. It was the second-straight game in which HPU has not allowed a shot on frame.
High Point is now 9-0-0 on the season and has outscored opponents by a 29-4 margin in 2012. The Panthers are among the nation's leaders in both scoring offense and goals-against average, entering the week second in scoring offense at 3.22 goals per game and fourth in goals-against average at 0.44.
This is the first time in team history that the Panthers have been ranked nationally in Div. I by the NSCAA. HPU is also ranked No. 24 in the nation by College Soccer News and No. 25 by Soccer America.
High Point returns to Vert Stadium on Wednesday, Oct. 3, to face VMI. The match is the last of six-straight home games for HPU and will kickoff at 7 p.m. High Point is 7-2-0 all-time against the Keydets.
High Point Sports Information Dept.