HIGH POINT, N.C. – A furious second half rally for the Virginia Military Institute men's lacrosse team fell just short Saturday afternoon. The Keydets dropped their Atlantic Sun Conference opener at High Point University 9-8, despite out-scoring the Panthers 7-3 in the second half.

High Point (5-2, 2-0 A-Sun) utilized a five-goal second quarter to take a 6-1 halftime lead. But the Keydets rallied in the third, scoring three unanswered goals to open the period. The Keydets (1-6, 0-1 A-Sun) again out-scored High Point in the fourth 3-1, but it was the second quarter that helped the Panthers keep the edge.

VMI had a balanced scoring effort, with Mickey Hofmeister, Dan Bull and Dale Mattice all score two goals. Brad Biondello and Mitch Wilson potted one each. Hofmeister and sophomore Gage Snowbarger tallied assists, Hofmeister's to Biondello and Snowbarger's to Hofmeister.

High Point's Stevie Kirkup had a six-point day with five goals and one assist. Dan Lomas was the only other Panther to score multiple goals, while adding an assist to his afternoon at Vert Stadium. Matt Thistle went for one goal and an assist while Brad James tallied two helpers and Zack Price had one goal. Brendan Montrello accounted for High Point's ninth assist.

In goal, VMI got another strong performance from junior Evan Windisch, who made 13 saves, including nine in the first half. The keeper withstood a barrage of shots, staring down 43 Panther attempts. Only 22 of those shots made it on frame however, while VMI's pressure defense caused nine turnovers.

Opposite Windisch, Austin Geisler made nine saves to lead High Point to its fifth-straight win. Geisler's defense forced 13 of VMI's 22 turnovers, including three from starting midfielder Richard Byrd.

Faceoffs were an even split, with VMI's Mitch Wilson winning 10 of his 19 attempts. Junior longsitck midfielder Ty Trobridge took a faceoff for VMI while Wilson served a penalty. High Point's Jamie Piluso took all 20 of his squad's draws.

Groundballs were nearly even as High Point collected 35 against VMI's 31. Wilson led VMI's groundball efforts with five while Windisch and Tyler Prasnicki grabbed four apiece.

Uncharacteristic of VMI, the Keydets took six time serving penalties for five minutes. But the defense held, not allowing the Panthers an extra-man tally. Likewise, High Point held VMI off the board during the Keydets' four man-up opportunitie

VMI failed to gain the zone in transition just twice, going 16-for-18 in clears. High Point also had a good day through the middle, going 14-of-17.

The Keydets, who played their first-ever game in the Atlantic Sun, got on the board first as Bull deposited VMI's first goal of the day. But the Panthers would score the game's next six goals, including a hat trick from Kirkup, to take a 6-1 lead at the break.

Down but not out, VMI rallied to kick off the third quarter, scoring three unanswered goals from three different sources, Hofmeister, Bull and Biondello. Kirkup broke the run up with his fourth of the day, but VMI answered back on Hofmeister's 12th goal of the season, making it a 7-5 game. The Panthers got the final tally of the quarter from Price with just seven seconds left in the period.

The fourth quarter belonged to the Keydets, outscoring the host team 4-1 in the final 15 minutes. Mattice collected a groundball in the defensive third and went coast-to-coast right through the heart of High Point's defense to pull VMI back within two, 8-6. Ten seconds later, his classmate Wilson won the ensuing draw and again went right through the middle of the Panthers' defense to pull VMI within one.

But Kirkup scored what would prove to be the game-winning goal with 1:11 left in regulation. A team that won't give in, Mattice went five-hole on High Point's keeper with just 38 seconds left in the game. But the Keydet rally fell just one-goal shy.