Pursey and McNally Earn First Team All-Conference; Hahn and Marcil All-Freshman

First time program has had two first team selections since 2002

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Western Carolina women's soccer had four players recognized with conference post-season honors as Valentine Pursey and Natalie McNally were named to the Southern Conference First Team All-Conference squad and rookies Kirsten Hahn and Naya Marcil got nods on the SoCon All-Freshman team.

Pursey and McNally's honors were the first time Western Carolina has had two players named to the conference first team list since 2002 (Jamie Pawlik and Mandi Tinsley). The pair of freshmen honored for the Catamounts, Hahn, and Marcil, mark the first time in program history the Catamounts have had two newcomers on the all-freshman list.

A transfer from Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI), Pursey burst onto the scene for the Catamounts ending the regular season with a team-leading eight goals. The forward from Ticehurst, United Kingdom also added two assists for 18 points. Her six game-winning goals not only lead the conference but are ranked tied for first in the nation. Four of her six game-winners have been in conference matches.

McNally, a fellow transfer from IUPUI, helped guide the Catamount defense that shutout opponents eight times this season – the most since 2008. A defender from Grayslake, Ill. McNally also scored a pair of goals on the season, one in the win over UNC Asheville and the first goal of the match in the 2-1 loss to conference regular-season champion Samford.

Marcil, a forward/midfielder from Saint-Jean-Sur-Richelieu, Quebec, Canada, ranks second on the team for points with 10, three goals, and four assists. Her four assists lead the club and rank tied for eighth in the conference. She scored two of her three goals in the win over Ohio and scored the first goal in the 2-1 conference victory over Wofford.

Hahn, a forward from Burlington, Ontario, Canada, had three goals and three assists in her first year in a Catamount uniform for nine points. She scored two of her three goals in the first and third matches of the season. Hahn also scored in the key conference win over Chattanooga.

Western Carolina earned the No. 3 seed in the Southern Conference Championships and will face No. 6 seed UNCG at 8 p.m. tonight in the quarterfinals held at Stone Stadium on the Furman campus in Greenville, S.C. The winner will move on to the semi-finals on Sunday and face the winner of No. 2 seed Furman and No. 7 seed The Citadel.

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Players Mentioned

#4 Kirsten Hahn: F; 5' 8"; Freshman

#99 Natalie McNally: D; 5' 10"; Graduate Student

#7 Naya Marcil: F/M; 5' 8"; Freshman

#27 Valentine Pursey: F/M; 5' 6"; Graduate Student

Players Mentioned

#4 Kirsten Hahn
: 5' 8"; Freshman
: F

#99 Natalie McNally
: 5' 10"; Graduate Student
: D

#7 Naya Marcil
: 5' 8"; Freshman
: F/M

#27 Valentine Pursey
: 5' 6"; Graduate Student
: F/M