Aug. 21, 2009

Box Score |   

Cullowhee, N.C. - Katie Kole's goal with less than five minutes remaining in regulation helped Western Carolina secure a 1-0 victory over Gardner-Webb Friday evening in front of 426 fans at the Catamount Athletic Complex.

The victory gave Western Carolina (1-0-0) its first season opening win since a 2-1 tally over St. Bonaventure back in 2005. The WCU victory also kept the Catamounts perfect against the Big South foe with their sixth-straight win in the head-to-head series (6-0).

Kole, a senior forward from Carroll, Texas, scored her second career goal after WCU gained a free kick opportunity that sailed over the GWU goalkeeper's left side at the 4:51 mark in the second half.

"Katie strikes the ball very well. She asked to take (the free kick). She had great focus and struck the ball very well. I think that Katie has the ability to be a promising target for us up front this year," said Catamount head coach Tammy DeCesare

On her game-winning tally, Kole said, "We had been working on this set piece a lot in practice. We looked to crash the net and we had it set right."

Goalkeeper Caitlin Williams anchored her 15th career shutout after deflecting two Gardner-Webb shots.

"Williams had a very solid performance in the net for us tonight," noted DeCesare. "She kept the net clean. She did her job very well and kept the girls organized as much as she could."

The Catamounts had ample offensive opportunities in the first half, out gunning the Bulldogs in the shot column, 8-4. The second half was much closer as WCU edged Gardner-Webb, 4-3, for a combined 12-7 marker in the final ledger.

"I thought the first 25 minutes we did a great job of controlling the game," said DeCesare. "Then it subsided and didn't show back up in the second half."

With 33:02 remaining, the Catamounts looked to have ended the scoreless stalemate as a redirected ball into the box was touched from senior Shanna Schmoker to classmate Rachael Shomper who found the back of the cage with a one-time shot. However, the would-be, go-ahead goal was disallowed due to an offsides call, keeping the game deadlocked at zero and setting up Kole's late heroics.

Seniors Jenny Matteson (4) and Shomper (3) collected the bulk of the offensive shots for a combined seven chances.

Western Carolina used the corner kick to their advantage as the Catamounts collected seven corners on the evening while Gardner-Webb had a total of three, two of which were gained in the second half.

WCU returns to action next Friday evening, August 28, at the Catamount Athletic Complex. Kick off with East Tennessee State is 7:00 p.m.