Cullowhee, N.C. – Isabella DeMarco's historic week for Western Carolina women's soccer continues as the senior forward collected TopDrawer Soccer National Team of the Week honors and was named the Southern Conference's Offensive Player of the Week.
DeMarco's honors come after an outstanding five-goal, 11-point week for the Catamounts, as the Charleston, S.C. native recorded a first-half natural hat trick against VMI and a first-half brace against The Citadel in a pair of league victories.
The TopDrawer Soccer national accolade is the second of DeMarco's career, while the weekly SoCon honor is just the third for the three-time first-team All-SoCon selection and the SoCon's Player of the Year in 2023.
With the Catamounts already leading the Keydets 1-0 in the first half, DeMarco took over the match with back-to-back goals in 40 seconds to give WCU a commanding 3-0 lead only 17 minutes into the night. She struck again in the 32nd minute for her first-half hat trick before adding an assist early in the second half on a goal by Rylie Niemeyer for her seventh point of the night.
DeMarco matched her WCU single-game record the most points scored in a match, originally set against The Citadel in 2022.
The senior followed up her dominating performance with another impressive multi-goal effort, notching two goals against The Citadel in her senior-year homecoming. DeMarco scored the game-winning goal only five minutes into the afternoon tilt with the Cadets, capitalizing on a turnover forced by Lucie Bertrand and a quick dish from Milla Syska for her first score of the afternoon. She struck again in the 34th minute for an insurance goal, with the Catamounts cruising to a 3-0 road win.
DeMarco enters the week ranked fourth in the Southern Conference in total points with 18, but leads all players with 14 points, 6 goals, and two assists against SoCon opponents this season.
Western Carolina returns home on Friday as the Catamounts host the Wofford Terriers for Senior Night. DeMarco, Leanne Trudel, Milla Syska, Abbie Wise, and Ava Robitaille will all be honored for their contributions in Cullowhee before the 7 p.m. kick with the Terriers at the on-campus Catamount Athletics Complex. Admission is free all season long, courtesy of First Bank.
