Oct. 5, 2006

Final Stats

Boone, N.C. - Freshman Shannon Fowkes netted the second of her two goals on the day with 13 seconds showing on the game clock helping to cap a second half rally for Western Carolina as the Catamounts downed rival Appalachian State, 3-2, in women's soccer action at the ASU Soccer Stadium.

Trailing 2-0 at intermission, Western (6-5-2, 2-1-1 SoCon) tallied back-to-back goals in the 52nd and 58th minutes to tie the game at two apiece. With the third-straight overtime session between the two schools looming on the horizon, Fowkes scored the game-winner in a scramble in front of the ASU cage to lift Western to the win, its second-straight over the Mountaineers.

Appalachian scored first on Paige Morrow's goal in the 21st minute as she headed home a cross from Dana Murphy into the near netting from the opposite side of the goal. The Mountaineers would add to the cushion in the 33rd minute when Caroline Lowe gave Appalachian State a 2-0 lead on a floating header that managed to find the goal, assisted by Casey Cleary. ASU maintained the lead through halftime.

After intermission, the rejuvenated Catamount side began the comeback, scoring seven minutes out of the break with a tally in the 52nd minute. Fowkes collected a pass from her classmate, Shanna Schmoker, from the far wing and was able to maneuver past the keeper in the box to cut the deficit in half at 2-1.

Six minutes later, Western struck again with the equalizer from Heather Dittmer on a long pass from freshman Jenny Matteson that Dittmer knocked in from the center of the box. Dittmer's tally was her team-leading fifth of the season.

Shortly after the second Catamount goal, the match was suspended for 30 minutes due to lightning in the area. When play resumed, the match appeared destined for overtime. However, the Catamounts wouldn¹t allow it as Fowkes scored the game-winning goal with just 13 seconds remaining to mark the second-straight, last second victory for Western over their arch-rivals. Last year in Cullowhee, Western pushed home the game-winning goal on a scramble in front of the Mountaineer net with one second remaining in the first overtime period.

Fowkes' two goals on the day were her first points of her collegiate career.

Freshman goalkeeper Kelly Gulledge was credited with the win - the second of her career - after senior Alesha Row as pulled at halftime. Both Gulledge and Row recorded one save a piece as just four of the Apps 11 shots were on goal. Western, on the other hand, fired 15 shots, including 10 in the second half alone, with eight finding their way on net. ASU keeper, Emma White, made four saves and was saddled with the loss. The loss was Appalachian State's second league loss in a row, dropping the Mountaineers to 7-6-0, 3-2-0 in the SoCon. Also, the three unanswered goals allowed by the Apps were the most allowed this season.

Western is back in action this Sunday, Oct. 8, as it visits The Citadel in SoCon action at 1:00 pm.