Sept. 13, 2009

Box Score

Knoxville, Tenn. - The Catamount women's soccer team dropped a heartbreaker to regionally-ranked Tennessee as the Lady Vols edged WCU 2-1 at Regal Soccer Stadium in front of 769 fans on Sunday afternoon.

WCU (2-3-1) battled in the loss, holding a lead over the defending SEC tournament champion Lady Vols for 26 minutes in the first half. Tennessee was the fourth consecutive regionally-ranked opponent the Catamounts have faced. Coming into Sunday's match, Tennessee (4-2-1) was ranked eighth in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) South regional poll.

Western Carolina jumped out to an early lead in the first half as senior Rachael Shomper tallied her second goal of the year. Shomper scored the goal after a shot from Shannon Fowkes skipped away from Tennessee goalkeeper Molly Baird. Shomper, a senior from Millersburg, Pa., then buried the shot at 4:14.

The goal by Shomper was her ninth of her career and her second of the season after tallying her first on Aug. 28 in a 2-1 victory over East Tennessee State. With the pass, Fowkes earned her second assist of the season.

"We made some changes on how we handle the kickoff to begin the game and we caught Tennessee off guard," said fifth year Catamount coach Tammy DeCesare. "We put in a nice goal. I do think we got the attention of a very good Tennessee team."

Junior Caitlin Williams made a couple of spectacular saves defending the ball away from the aggressive Tennessee offense. Williams made a diving save in the 56th minute to thwart the Lady Vols' attack. The Liberty, S.C., native earned five saves in the match.

"Caitlin Williams continues to impress people," noted DeCesare. "There are four top programs in the country that have seen her play and are impressed by what she has done. She is doing incredibly well. She stays focused and her efforts and techniques are really improving."

Tennessee tied the contest when a pass from Ali Hall went in front of Chelsea Hatcher, who scored her first goal of the season. Senior Mick Imgram footed the game winner with a cross from Emily Dowd at the 83rd minute. The goal was team-leading Dowd's fourth of the season.

Western Carolina returns to the Catamount Athletic Complex on Friday, Sept. 18 for the Catamount Classic.

DeCesare says she is ready for her squad to return home to Cullowhee next weekend, "The hope is as a team we can maintain a focus that this is Catamount soccer and this is how we play regardless of opponent."

The Catamounts will face Ohio Valley Conference foe Jacksonville State on Friday at 7:30 p.m.