Greenville, S.C. – Using a pair of second-half goals from offensive-minded sisters Isabella DeMarco and Alexis DeMarco, the 2024 Western Carolina women's soccer team successfully completed its Southern Conference regular-season title defense on Thursday night with a 2-0 road win over the Furman Paladins at Stone Soccer Stadium. The win is the 12th of the season for WCU and gives the squad 12 shutouts to date.
The victory secured three points in the conference standings for the Catamounts, clinching the 2024 regular-season championship with one match to play on Sunday at Chattanooga. WCU also secured the number one overall seed for the upcoming SoCon Women's Soccer Championship as the Purple and Gold have 22 points in conference play. The Samford Bulldogs are currently the second seed with 17 points and have a home match against UNC Greensboro to go.
The top two seeds host a pair of quarterfinal matches and a semifinal match coming up on Friday, Nov. 1, and Sunday, Nov. 3.
Isabella DeMarco and Alexis DeMarco were in rare form in Thursday night's bout with the Paladins as the dynamic DeMarco duo recorded both goals in the 2-0 victory. After a scoreless opening half, Isabella broke the gridlock in the 54' minute as the striker blasted a shot off that first bounced off the crossbar. Originally high off the mark, the shot ricocheted bar-down and bounced a second time off the back of a leaping Paladin keeper Reese DeJong, and into the net for what proved to be the game-winning goal.
WCU held the advantage over its chromatic rival for the next 15 minutes before Alexis DeMarco broke through for her first goal of the season. Sister Isabella found Alexis alone on a breakaway where she ripped a shot before the defense could close the gap for the insurance marker.
Alexis has scored five goals in her career in Cullowhee with her sister contributing a solo assist on each.
The Catamounts dominated on both ends of the pitch in Thursday's penultimate match of the regular season, rattling off 17 shots including eight on goal while only allowing five shots, conceding a single on frame for the second time in three matches. WCU's stalwart backline of Becca Campbell, Abbie Wise, Samantha Whitaker, and Mary Mueth went the distance in the critical conference showing with reigning defensive player of the week – Catamount keeper Leanne Trudel – denying the only attempt on goal for the Paladins that came in the final minute of the contest.
Catamount Notables:
·Western Carolina picked up its 12th win of the season and is now 12-2-3, going 7-0-2 at home and 5-2-1 on the road. The Catamounts are on a 14-game unbeaten streak dating back to the 2-2 draw with Longwood in August;
·The Catamounts have won back-to-back games against the Paladins for just the third time in program history – and the first time since the 2017-2018 seasons. The win in Greenville is only the second road win in the series for WCU since 2009;
· Alexis DeMarco notched her first goal of the season and the fifth of her career in the 79' minute. Isabella DeMarco has assisted on all five of her sister's goals;
·Isabella DeMarco recorded the game-winning goal in the 54' minute, her third game-winning goal of the season. The junior striker has seven goals and seven assists this season and leads the team in scoring during the conference slate with five goals and three assists;
·Leanne Trudel and the Catamount defense rolled to their 12th shutout of the season on Thursday against the Paladins. The Southern Conference record is 13 shutouts in a season held by four teams including the 2023 Samford Bulldogs, the 2007 UNCG Spartans, the 2005 Catamounts, and the 1997 Spartans.
Up next for the Catamounts:
Having already clinched the regular-season title and the overall No. 1, Western Carolina has the Chattanooga Mocs up next on the schedule to close out the regular season. A win or draw against UTC would give WCU an undefeated conference record for the first time in program history. The Purple & Gold then returns home to the Catamount Athletic Complex for its SoCon Tournament quarterfinal scheduled for Friday, Nov. 1 as part of WCU's 2024 Homecoming Week.
