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Maryanne Kilgore

Women's Soccer Denise Gideon, Director of Media Relations

Soccer Opens SoCon Play This Weekend

Hosts Mercer and The Citadel

CULLOWHEE, N.C. – Western Carolina women's soccer opens Southern Conference play this weekend hosting Mercer at 7 p.m. Friday and welcoming The Citadel at 2 p.m. Sunday.
 
 
FRIDAY – LIVE STATS | ESPN+
 
SUNDAY – LIVE STATS | ESPN+
 
 
  AN INSIDE LOOK AT THE CATAMOUNTS:
  • Freshman forward Naya Marcil was named Southern Conference Offensive Player of the Week after she scored two goals to help propel Western Carolina to a 3-0 win over Ohio on Sept. 19. She is the first Western Carolina freshman to earn SoCon offensive player of the week since Shannon Fowkes in 2006. Overall, including offensive and defensive weekly nods, Marcil is the sixth Catamount rookie in program history to receive the honor: Melody Mezzina, GK (2019), Natalia Icen, GK (2017), Caitlin Williams, GK (2007), Shannon Fowkes, F, (2006), Natasha Moore, F (2002).
  • Catamount junior goalkeeper Melody Mezzina has only allowed one goal in 530:26 minutes with a record of 4-1-1. She leads the SoCon with a 0.17 goals-against average, ranking fourth in the NCAA, and tops the conference with a .955 save percentage, which is good for third in the NCAA, and ranks ninth in saves with 21.
  • Western Carolina has had seven different players score this season. 
  • Four of the Catamounts' five wins have come via shutout. UNCA is the only team that has scored a goal (1) in a WCU victory. 
  • All-told, Western Carolina has allowed one goal in the last 560 minutes. 
  • The Catamounts have the best RPI in the SoCon at 100.
  • Western Carolina is 11-9-2 all-time in SoCon opening games. 
  • The Catamounts and Mercer meet for the 11th time with the Bears holding a 6-4 record over WCU. The last time the two teams met in a conference opener the Catamounts win 1-0 on Sept. 23, 2016. Mercer has won three of the last five matches and with three of the last five played in Macon, Ga. 
  • Western Carolina and The Citadel meet for the 21st time on Sunday afternoon. The Catamounts are 17-1-2 over the Bulldogs. In the last meeting, on April 3, 2021, the two teams played to a 2-2 tie halting a nine-match winning streak by the Catamounts over the Bulldogs. WCU is 10-1-1 at home against The Citadel with the lone Catamount loss to the Bulldogs at the Catamount Athletic Complex that came with a 1-2 setback on Sept. 24, 2010.  
 
AN INSIDE LOOK AT THE OPPONENTS:
  • Mercer comes into Cullowhee with a record of 3-3-1 defeating Jackson State 2-1 in the Bears' final non-conference match of the season.
  • The Bears have scored 15 goals on the season and given up seven. Five different Mercer players have scored multiple goals led by Ally Fordham and Mackenzie Gassie who each have three. 
  • Bear Nicole Icen is the sister of former Catamount goalkeeper Natalia Icen who ended her WCU career in the spring of 2021.
  • The Citadel ended the nonconference portion of the season with a 6-2 record – the best mark in the SoCon. 
  • The Bulldogs have scored 18 goals over the last five matches with a record of 3-2. Before facing the Catamounts on Sunday, The Citadel will travel to ETSU on Friday. 
  • The Citadel has scored a total of 28 goals on the year and given up three. 
 
For the latest information on Western Carolina women's soccer, follow @catamounts for @catamountsoccer on Twitter or go to www.catamountsports.com.
 
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Players Mentioned

Natalia Icen

#33 Natalia Icen

GK
5' 9"
Senior
Alan C. Pope HS
Melody Mezzina

#0 Melody Mezzina

GK
5' 4"
Junior
St. Marguerite D' Youville
Naya Marcil

#7 Naya Marcil

F/M
5' 8"
Freshman

Players Mentioned

Natalia Icen

#33 Natalia Icen

5' 9"
Senior
Alan C. Pope HS
GK
Melody Mezzina

#0 Melody Mezzina

5' 4"
Junior
St. Marguerite D' Youville
GK
Naya Marcil

#7 Naya Marcil

5' 8"
Freshman
F/M