#2 High Point Scores Overtime Win Over #3 Radford, 3-2, Advances to Finals
By High Point Athletics
MATTHEWS N.C. — The second half of the Big South Conference Women's Soccer Championship Semifinal was an ending that one couldn't script.
It was postseason play at its finest, featuring a pair of goals scored within 14 seconds to force overtime before a Megan Garmey golden olimpico lifted second-seeded High Point University over third-seeded Radford University, 3-2, and into the championship game for the first time since 2021.
Head Coach Aaron McGuiness: "I'm so happy and proud of the way the team dug deep with that performance after going down a goal that late in the game, and to equalize straight away is incredible. It shows a lot of character, a lot of resilience and that's what we have stressed all year. Like, you know, we have to play in those big moments, and we have to get the job done. We have to do what it takes and tonight, we did that. I'm extremely proud of the girls and everything that they played for tonight. Any time a player scores a goal, it is very special, but that particular goal is going to mean a lot to Megan for the rest of her life. It sent us into the final and I'm extremely proud of her. She's worked on her crossing and her corners all year, and you know, it's paid off to get us back to the finals."
The resilience was next-to-none for the Panthers on Thursday.
High Point took the lead into half after Alex Murphy and Peyton Gilmore teamed up in the 36th minute on a corner kick as Murphy's feed found Gilmore in the box for the 1-0 lead.
The defending champion Highlanders pushed their way back into the game with a goal in the 60th minute.
As the final minute approached with the score knotted at 1, an own goal gave the Highlanders the lead with 59 seconds remaining. Even in an unfortunate situation, the Panthers never dropped their heads or lost faith.
Then 14 seconds later, Ally Ruiz found Ella Vaughn in the box on a cross as Vaughn headed in the equalizer to send the epic match into overtime. It was the senior's fourth goal in two games.
From there, High Point had the momentum and didn't let up. Megan Garmey took the team's seventh corner and made it count, netting her first career goal — a golden olimpico — to send the Panthers to the Big South championship game in heroic fashion.
"That's my first goal of my career and for it to happen as the overtime, game-winning goal is pretty unreal," Garmey said. "Peyton said, 'That's it. That went in,' and I was just like, 'This is not real; there's no way.' Then everyone was running at me and it was so exciting. It was a full team effort getting us to the championship with the goal, and I don't think our team is done yet. We still have a lot more work to put in."
In all, the Panthers out-shot the Highlanders 17-13, while Aubrey McKessy had four saves, including a massive one late in the second half to keep the score at 1-all.
High Point now turns its attention to top-seeded USC Upstate as the Panthers go for the program's 14th Big South championship and eighth NCAA Tournament appearance on Sunday at 1 p.m.
It would be firsts in the McGuiness Era and the program's first title since 2021.
"It's everything that you work for all year," McGuiness said. "From here on out, nothing in the past means anything and we have to deliver. As much as you enjoy tonight and celebrating making the final, the job is not done. Our focus is on the final and making sure we are prepared and ready to go against Upstate Sunday at 1 p.m."