Oct. 13, 2006

Final Stats

Cullowhee, N.C. - On the strength of two second half goals, the Western Carolina women's soccer team ran its unbeaten streak to four on Friday night with a 2-1 win over the visiting College of Charleston Cougars in front of 1,189 fans at the Catamount Athletic Complex. The crowd, which was in association with Western's Homecoming Spirit Night festivities, was the largest in the two-year history of the WCU's on-campus soccer complex.

"This was the best 90 minutes we've put together this season," said second year head coach Tammy DeCesare. "We had a lot of scoring opportunities in the second half. I am very pleased with the way our players made themselves dangerous in the attacking third tonight."

After playing the first 45 minutes in a scoreless deadlock, Western was first to scratch the scoreboard. Just 51 seconds out of intermission, freshman Jenny Matteson launched the ball into the box in front of the Cougar cage on a free kick where her classmate, Shanna Schmoker, out jumped the crowd and headed it into the upper right hand corner of the net for the first goal.

Ten minutes later, Western pushed its advantage to two with sophomore Lauren Atkinson's third goal of the season. Freshman Nikki Collins fired a shot on goal from the upper right portion of the goal box which was deflected by the Cougar keeper, Erin Smith. Atkinson gathered the rebound and at the right of the goal mouth and found the back of the net for the two-goal lead.

The College of Charleston rallied, though, less than two minutes later capitalizing on a free kick opportunity of their own. Much like the Catamounts' first marker, CofC freshman Alanna Jordan dropped a free kick into the box where senior Caroline Wertis headed it over WCU keeper, Kelly Gulledge, to cut the WCU lead in half.

Over the final 34 minutes, Western continued applying pressure in the attacking end and collapsed around the ball on the defensive end to prevent the Cougars from recording the tying point.

Led by six shots by defending SoCon Player of the Week, WCU freshman Shannon Fowkes and four by Atkinson, Western out shot the Cougars, 21-to-4 on the night, including a 14-to-3 edge in the second half alone. The Catamounts also led in corner kick opportunities, 5-0.

Gulledge posted three saves in recording her fourth win of the season, remaining unbeaten at 4-0. Charleston sophomore goalkeeper, Erin Smith, finished with six saves while suffering her fourth loss of the season.

Western Carolina travels to Chattanooga in conference play on Sunday afternoon to face the Mocs at 2:00 pm.