HIGH  POINT, N.C.—The High Point Panthers pulled away in the fourth quarter to post a 13-7 victory over the visiting Bellarmine Knights today in a Southern Conference game at Vert Stadium.

After Bellarmine pulled within one at 8-7 with 10:04 remaining in the game, the host Panthers reeled off five unanswered goals to win going away.

Michael LeClair of HPU was the game's offensive leader, dishing out three assists and netting two goals, and the Panthers' Matt Thistle registered a hat trick and handed out one assist. 

Bellarmine was paced by Tucker Ciessau, who collected four points on a goal and three assists. Dylan Gatt scored twice for the Knights, and Ben Charpentier and Brian Wall each collected a goal and an assist.

The Panthers opened the game with two goals in the first three and a half minutes of the game to take a quick 2-0 lead. The Knights' defense then stiffened as the Panthers didn't find the back of the net again until the 5:55 mark of the second quarter.  In the meantime, Charpentier and Gatt added goals for the Knights.

High Point struck again with 3:29 remaining in the second period to take a 4-2 lead.  However, the Knights answered as Andrew Schoeneck scored with 2:48 on the clock, and Wall beat the halftime horn by 10 seconds with his fourth goal of the season to tie the game at four apiece at the break.

The third quarter was highly competitive with HPU and Bellarmine trading two goals apiece over the first 11:24 of the period.  However, HPU scored back to back goals to close the quarter and take an 8-6 lead into the final period where they put the game away with their 5-0 run.

Bellarmine was outshot 40-35 for the game, and reigning SoCon Defensive Player of the Week Tim Troutner tallied 16 saves in goal for the Panthers to help preserve the victory for the home team.

Coming into the game, the Knights were the top faceoff team in the league, but won just seven of 23 on the day as regular faceoff specialist Connor Harryman was out of action today due to an illness.

The loss drops Bellarmine to 4-7 overall and 2-2 in league play, which ties High Point and Furman in third place in the league standings. The Panthers improve to 6-5 overall.

The Knights are back in action next Saturday, when they face SoCon co-leader Richmond on the road in a 1 p.m. matchup.

BOX SCORE (HTM)