HIGH POINT, N.C. – Led by a four-goal effort from Big South Preseason Player of the Year Abby Hormes and a pair of hat tricks from Carol Amster and Kylie Holthaus, Big South preseason favorite High Point rode a one-sided first half to a 22-3 win over Longwood Saturday afternoon at Vert Stadium.
 
Amster, Holthaus and Hormes all produced their hat tricks by the end of the first half to spark an offensive onslaught that saw High Point (7-4, 1-0 Big South) build a 19-1 lead by halftime. The Lancers got back on track after the break to trail just 3-2 in the second half, but the Panthers' early cushion was more than enough to cruise to their Big South-opening win.
 
Entering Big South play after winning back-to-back Big South championships, the Panthers opened conference play with a bang, dismantling a Longwood (3-8, 0-1 Big South) team that was coming off a dominant 15-8 win over East Carolina in the non-conference finale this past Saturday. However, High Point broke through Longwood's defense early and often, scoring 19 goals on 22 shots in the first half.
 
Hormes finished with two assists and a team-high seven points to lead High Point to its third straight win. Ashley Britton pulled off an assist hat trick with three assists as part of a five-goal effort that also included two goals.
 
Longwood managed just one shot in the first half, which resulted in a goal from junior Dana Joss in the 11th minute, but the Lancers changed course after halftime to generate eight more scoring opportunities. Lexi Davis and Emma Johnson made two of those count, scoring one goal apiece.
 
Those two goals were part of a turnaround effort that saw Longwood allow High Point just three goals the rest of the way. Sophomore goalkeeper Laura O'Toole stepped into the net in place of freshman teammate Danielle Burke in the second half and saved three of the six shots she faced, as Longwood's defense held the Panthers to 12 shots in the second half.
 
However, the Panthers held Longwood's momentum in check, responding to each Lancer goal with one of their own and holding Longwood scoreless over the game's final 11 minutes.
 
Longwood will now get a week to rebound from the road loss and prepare for the upcoming rivalry showdown against Radford this Saturday, April 6, at 2 p.m.
 
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