Oct. 31, 2004
Final Stats
Cullowhee, N.C. -
After an 8-1 victory over the Citadel on Friday, Western Carolina women's soccer ended regular season play Sunday afternoon with a 6-1 victory over Georgia Southern at Schrader Field. The Catamounts were led by junior Natasha Moore, who had a goal and two assists, while sophomore Stephanie Svoboda contributed three assists.
The 14 goals by Western in consecutive matches marks an all-time best for the Cats, topping their previous best of 13 in 1999. Also with today's win, combined with losses by Wofford and East Tennessee State, Western will qualify for the Southern Conference Championship played next week in Greensboro, N.C., facing host and top seed UNC Greensboro in the first round. Western Carolina women's soccer has advanced to the SoCon Championships each of the six years of its existence.
Catamount junior Natalie Turgeon grabbed her fourth goal of the season and the Cats' first goal of the game at the 20:03 mark on a pass from Svoboda. WCU's second goal, an own goal, came amidst a scramble in front of the Georgia Southern goal. At the 28:28 mark, a Keevy Harris throw in made its way to the GSU net and eventually in the Eagle goal to give Western a 2-0 margin over the Eagles as the teams went into halftime.
The Lady Cats came out strong in the second half with junior Casey Davis knocking in her third goal of the season just seven minutes (52:13) into the period on a cross from Moore bringing the score to 3-0. Moore then tallied a goal of her own just three minutes later (55:24) as she received a pass from senior Brittany Bennefield and broke away from the Eagle defense at midfield.
Georgia Southern sophomore Ellen Shuler scored what would later prove to be the Eagles' only goal of the game at the 67:53 mark as she grabbed a pass from senior Katy Znosko to bring the score to 4-1.
Western freshman Leah Daino added her first goal of the season on an assist from Svoboda at 68:43 as she blasted the ball past the Eagle's goalkeeper. Freshman Lauren Atkinson provided the last of the Catamounts six goals with 10 minutes remaining in regulation time (79:21) on a pass effort from Moore and Svoboda.
Georgia Southern freshman goalkeeper Laura-Ashley Harris had six saves in the first half before being replace by freshman Megan McDonald who grabbed 11 saves for the Eagles in the second half. Western sophomore goalkeeper Alesha Row scooped up three saves in 72:19 of play before being replaced by sophomore Jennifer Deck with 17:19 remaining to play. Deck had two saves on the afternoon for the Cats.
WCU finishes the regular season with an overall record of 5-9-3 and 3-5-3 in the Southern Conference. Georgia Southern finishes with an overall record of 4-12-1 and 2-9-0 in the SoCon.
