So High Point is 4-0 with wins over Duke & Virginia. As I’m recording this video, Duke is #5 and Virginia is #12. No doubt these are two of the most high profile wins in High Points time as a program.
There are lots of reasons why. They have an excellent coach. They have an excellent roster with a great mix of veterans and young players that are really gelling at the moment.
More importantly though, they have Asher Nolting and Tim Troutner Jr. I don’t want to take away anything from the rest of this team, but these two guys are playing next level lacrosse at the moment and they are the biggest reason High Point is 4-0.
Nolting, a sophmore out of Greenwood Village, CO is a beast of a human, 6’ 2” and tipping the scales at 210 pounds. Big. Strong. Athletic. High Lacrosse IQ. Incredible Stick Skills. Ridiculous Drive & Determination.
Despite his size, he can beat you with his quick feet, he can outrun you, or he can simply mow you down and use his brute strength.
And beyond all of that, he’s capable of playing with finesse as was evidenced by his beautiful behind-the-back goal late in the 3rd quarter against UVA.
Currently sitting at 11 goals and 10 assists after 4 games, Nolting went 3 & 4 against St. Bonnies. He went 2 and 3 against Duke. He went 2 and 3 against Drexel and he went for 4 goals against Virginia.
He’s managed to beat up a 1st year program, and then went for 4 points or more against 3 established programs, 2 of them in the top 12.
But enough about Nolting. His senior leader, Tim Troutner Jr. is being mentioned right up there with the likes of Pat Spencer as he’s currently playing like one of the best players in the country.
So far this season, after 4 games Troutner Jr. has made 55 saves vs 36 goals against with a save percentage of 60.4%. Even better for Troutner, his schedule get’s easier from here on out, so he should be able to boost those numbers a little bit which is pretty crazy in reality.
Against Virginia on Monday night, Troutner Jr. was good for 17 saves. But two of those saves were game changes. The first game changer came with 2:15 left on the clock on a Dox Aitken shot. Troutner stuffed Aitken, controlled the rebound and pushed the ball up field to Chris Price who scored the dagger with 2:02 left. Had Troutner failed to be super human in that moment, it’s a tie game. But instead, he stood tall.
The second huge save of the game came with 5 seconds left on the clock. Matt Moore smoked the entire High Point defense enroute to a doorstep one on one against Troutner, and with the game on the line, Troutner stuffed the All-American preserving the one-goal win, and elevating High Point to 4-0 on the season.
As stated prior, lacrosse is a team sport. These guys aren’t the only reason High Point currently sits at 4-0. But I’d be willing to bet you won’t find a player or coach on the team that would try and tell you they’d be 4-0 without them.
