Box Score Box Score

HIGH POINT, NC— The Winthrop men's soccer team suffered its worst loss since the 2003 season in a 6-0 loss at High Point in its Big South Conference opener, Saturday evening.
The loss is the sixth straight for Winthrop, which falls to 2-6 overall and 0-1 in the league. It's the worst loss by a Winthrop team since its 8-1 defeat to Coastal Carolina in the semi-finals of the Big South Conference Tournament in 2003. It's the worst regular season defeat since the 2000 season in a 6-0 home loss to Liberty. High Point improved to 3-5-1 on the year and is now 1-1 in the Big South.
The Eagles bad luck continued offensively in the 11^th minute of the match as Adam Brundle hit the crossbar on a free kick from 30 yards out straight away from goal. Matt Sluga followed up the shot as it bounced out and headed it in but was called offside and the goal didn't count.
Less than two minutes later High Point responded with a goal from Karo Okiomah as he received a throw-in on the run from Shane Malcom, dribbled toward the goal uncontested and then slipped a shot near post past Patrick Walsh.
The second goal of the match for High Point came in the 32^nd minute as Alex Martinez took advantage of a fortunate bounce. The Panthers got the ball into the box and was weakly cleared away in the air and Martinez played a nice one touch shot that dipped over Walsh and into the net.
The Panthers pushed the lead to 3-0 after an unmarked player at the back post, Mamadee Nyepon, headed home a cross by Malcom, who beat three defenders with a move and crossed the ball long to the far post.
Winthrop had two solid chances to get on the scoreboard late in the first half when Akeem Matthews received a pass down the middle and slipped by the Panthers defense but his one-on-one chance was unsuccessful as his shot hit the post. Nick Kowalski collected the shot off the post and played a ball into the front of the goal mouth at the top of the six-yard box but Andres Pullin couldn't keep the shot down and it sailed over the crossbar.
Early in the second half, Winthrop's Mpumelelo Matutu was set up by Alex Mantchev's pass and Matutu ripped a shot from an angle, but High Point keeper Michael Chesler got down quickly and corralled the save.
Okiomah's goal in the 53^rd minute came off a defensive miscue as Martinez stole the ball from a Winthrop defender, slipped it to Okiomah and he placed a shot by Walsh for his second of the match.
Martinez took advantage of another defensive error by the Eagles as Daniel Di Biagio slid in to win the ball, but it popped up as he hit another defender trying to clear the ball and the ball popped right up to Martinez, who ripped a shot into the right corner.
Chelser finished with two saves, but shared the shutout with Ryan Henke, who subbed in with just over 11 minutes remaining. Walsh finished with four saves for the Eagles.
Despite outshooting the Panthers 19-15 in the game, Winthrop was shutout for a school record fifth consecutive game. It's also the longest losing streak for an Eagles team since the 1999 season when the team lost six in a row.
Winthrop will remain on the road for its seventh straight match when it heads to Boone, NC for a 7 p.m. contest on Wednesday, Oct. 5.