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Schedule

Full
Milla Syska vs Longwood 2024
David Dorbin, WCU Athletics Creative Media
2
Longwood LONG (0-2-1, 0-0-0)
2
Western Caro. WEST (1-2-1, 0-0-0)
Longwood LONG
(0-2-1, 0-0-0)
2
Final
2
Western Caro. WEST
(1-2-1, 0-0-0)
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Longwood LONG 0 2 2
Western Caro. WEST 1 1 2

Game Recap: Women's Soccer | | Josh Ragsdale, Director of Media Relations

Milla Syska's 90th Minute Goal Forces 2-2 Draw with Longwood

Cullowhee, N.C. – Milla Syska collected her second goal of the young 2024 season in dramatic fashion on Sunday afternoon, scoring the game-tying goal inside the 90th minute to secure a 2-2 draw with the visiting Longwood Lancers at the Catamount Athletics Complex. 

WCU has experienced every outcome possible through the first four matches of 2024 with Sunday's tie completing that cycle. The Catamounts and Lancers have now gone the distance knotted through full-time in each of the last three matchups, though this most recent meeting was the highest scoring in series history.

Just moments after her would-be game-tying effort was deflected by Longwood keeper Sara Curtis, who racked up eight saves in the nonconference showing, Syska received a second chance at the equalizer inside the final 60 seconds. Hustle from Naya Marcil set the Catamounts up with a corner kick as time continued to tick off the clock. Marcil then uncorked a pass into the box where Syska headed the ball off the crossbar and past the keeper along the goal line to knot the match at two apiece with 15 seconds remaining and ultimately providing the final tally.

Syska and Marcil combined for six of WCU's 19 shot attempts on the day with Isabella Demarco leading the team with four attempts including two on goal as the Catamounts outshot Longwood 19-to-6. It was the third consecutive match that WCU has outshot the opposition. Ten of WCU's 19 shots found the net while four of Longwood's six were on target.

Western Carolina (1-2-1) came out firing on all cylinders in the opening 45 minutes of the match, outshooting the Lancers 9-1 in the half. Ava Robitaille took the first shot of the day for the Catamounts for the third time this season, forcing a save from Curtis just a minute into play. The home team ripped the first four shots of the match, each coming inside the first ten minutes of play.  

The Lancers put their first shot on the scoreboard in the 21st minute as Meghan Piazza's would-be goal was denied by Leanne Trudel. Not long after in the 24th minute, Becca Campbell gifted reigning SoCon Offensive Player of the Week Kirsten Hahn an opportunity at the net. One week after netting a hat trick, Hahn tallied her fourth goal of the season to give the Catamounts a 1-0 lead in the first half. Campbell collected her fifth point of the year on the helper.

The Catamounts managed the final four shots of the half, though their only shot on goal would be deflected by Curtis.  

Longwood responded in the second half, tying the match at one-all thanks to a goal from Coryn Silberstein in the 56th minute. The two teams then traded shots on goal for the next 15 minutes before the Lancers broke the tie in the 71st minute with a goal by Taylor Hoag.

Trailing by a marker, reinforcements came on for the Purple and Gold in the 77th minute as Isabella DeMarco, Alexis DeMarco, and the eventual tying duo of Naya Marcil and Milla Syska each entered the match for the final time.  

 WCU fired four shots after falling behind with Syska's heroics providing the Catamounts with an important home point in non-league play.

Notables:  

  • Samantha Whitaker joined Becca Campbell, Mary Mueth, and Leanne Trudel as the only Catamounts to play the full 90 minutes for the second consecutive match;
  • After posting 62 shots across 21 matches last season, Isabella DeMarco is on pace for an 81-shot, 18-game season through four matches this year; 
  • Becca Campbell is on a three-match point streak, recording two goals and an assist in that span;
  • Kirsten Hahn recorded her fourth goal of the season. Her previous season high for goals was three, set in her freshman campaign in 2021. She is two points away from tying her season high of 10, also set in that same year; 
  • Milla Syska recorded her second goal of the season in the 89th minute of the match. She has already tied her season high of two goals, which she set last year;
  • The Catamounts are averaging 17.8 shots per game, placing 9.25 shots on goal each outing so far in the early season.

Up  Next for The Catamounts: 

The Purple and Gold has an opportunity to evaluate its early-season performances before heading to Atlanta to face the Georgia State Panthers on Sun., Sept. 1 at 2 p.m. WCU then returns home to host the Gardner-Webb Runnin' Bulldogs on Thurs., Sept. 5 at 7 p.m. at the Catamount Athletics Complex.

Keep track of everything related to Catamount women's soccer and WCU Athletics through its social media outlets on Facebook (fb.com/catamountsports), Instagram (@wcu_catamounts), and Twitter (@catamounts, @Catamountsoccer). 

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