HIGH POINT, N.C. - A goal midway through the first half was the deciding factor as the CSU Lady Bucs drop a hard fought match at High Point University, Thursday evening in the first Big South Conference match of the season.

From the start Charleston Southern high pressured High Point all over the park and forced High Point into numerous mistakes. For the first 10 minutes of the match, High Point stayed in their own half of the field due to the Lady Bucs pressure. CSU kept pressuring High Point but no clear cut shots or chances were on goal. About 15 minutes into the match, High Point saw a glancing header come inches close to going in as one of their few attacks threatened a solid Lady Bucs defense.

High Point struck first in the 21st minute of the game with a 30 yard shot from Brooke Lisson. The Panthers midfield picked up a loose ball and found Lisson. Lisson took two dribbles, looked up and had a go at goal. The ball was well struck and dipped right under the cross bar as keeper Caitlyn Cody was stretched out in attempts to get a finger tip to the ball. With 20 minutes left in the first half CSU got a set piece 5 yards in front of midfield. An Olivia Urig, driven ball went searching for a CSU player but only found the Panthers keeper. Keeping up the pressure CSU almost found a lifeline. A good bit of two touch soccer found a ball slipped into Morgann Wood. Wood at the penalty marker had a one touch shot but found the hands of the Panthers keeper. The half wound down with both teams not mustering up much of an attack due to both defenses breaking up any threats that could happen.

With the second half underway both teams looked to push numbers forward and find a goal. High Point almost found a second, as a corner kick was cleared by CSU then a first time cross back into the mix found the head of a High Point forward but Cody comes up with a big save to keep CSU only down a goal. CSU with 17 minutes left saw a few chances go begging as they searched for an equalizer. Gina Thomas picked up a pass from Anja Djumisic and sent a square ball across the top of the six yard box but there was not a CSU forward to get on the end of it and have a go on goal. A free kick was drilled in the box by Urig and found the head of Djumisic but the header was just wide of target not troubling the High Point defense.

In search of a lifeline, CSU continued to push numbers forward and tried to find that spark to create a goal. While doing that the Panthers tried to counter attack, but the CSU defense of Hali Singleton and Stephanie Hand kept the Panthers attack at bay. A few long range efforts from High Point did not trouble CSU or Lady Bucs keeper Cody in the second half. With 7 minutes left in the match CSU found themselves in on goal when Allison Lewis had a breakway. Lewis broke away from the field and had a Panthers defender trailing her and then she let loose a shot that found the hands of the High Point keeper, keeping the match 1-0 in High Point's favor.The Lady Bucs continued to press forward but could not find the equalizer as time ran out.

With this loss the Lady Bucs drop to 5-4 on the season and 0-1 in the conference. CSU will finish their weekend travels as they face Liberty on Saturday, Oct.1 at 1 p.m. in Lynchburg, Va.