Oct. 2, 2009

Box Score

Birmingham, Ala. - Shannon Fowkes' goal with 35 seconds remaining in regulation proved to be the equalizer as the Western Carolina women's soccer team played to a 1-1 draw after two overtime periods with Samford at Bulldog Field on Friday evening.

Fowkes scored the goal from just eight feet away with a one-timing left kick to reset the match at even in the final dwindling seconds of regulation. Senior Rachael Shomper set up the crossing pass to record her second assist of the season.

The draw gave the Catamounts (5-3-3, 2-0-1 SoCon) their first in conference play. The draw was the second overall for Samford (6-1-2, 1-1-1 SoCon) after holding regionally-ranked Auburn scoreless in non-conference play.

"It really spoke volumes of our team's character of never giving up and truly meaning that," said Western Carolina coach Tammy DeCesare. "We put actions behind our words. We will play until the final whistle. Because they did that, we were able to walk out with a good result against a very good team in Samford."

The tally for Fowkes was her second goal of the season and her second of the season.

Fowkes, a senior from Smithsburg, Md., now has 10 goals in her career and is just two shy of tying three others for 10th place all-time in career goals scored at Western Carolina.

Resiliency was the key for the Catamounts who continued to battle with a stingy Samford squad that had only given up one goal before Friday evening's match. The goal at the 47th minute mark for Samford was scored by the Bulldogs' leading scorer Amber Cress after she used the Bulldog corner kick to head the ball off the left post and into the net.

The Samford goal snapped a season-long 432 minute shutout streak for Western Carolina goalkeeper Caitlin Williams. The streak began on Sept. 13 and lasted over four and half matches.

Williams, the Southern Conference Student Athlete of the Week, again continued her strong defensive stance with a pair of key saves in the final overtime period, thwarting a last second opportunity that sailed over her head and clearing a corner kick that caused the contest to end in a draw.

Sophomore Kayla Beauduy led the Cats with three shots, while senior Nikki Collins peppered two of Western Carolina's seven total shots.

Coach DeCesare says she was happy with her team's effort as they look to play at Chattanooga on Sunday, "We did get something out of here. Samford is a very good team. We were able to come in here and pick up a point. We will refocus tomorrow and get ready for Chattanooga on Sunday."

Kick off with the Mocs begins at 2:00 p.m. at the North River Complex in Chattanooga, Tenn. GameTracker will provide live coverage of the event on CatamountSports.com.