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Full
Leanne Trudel vs App State 2025
Ava Schmitt
3
Winner App State APP (1-0-0, 0-0-0)
2
Western Caro. WCU (0-1-0, 0-0-0)
Winner
App State APP
(1-0-0, 0-0-0)
3
Final
2
Western Caro. WCU
(0-1-0, 0-0-0)
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
App State APP 2 1 3
Western Caro. WCU 0 2 2

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

Late Marker Lifts Mountaineers Over Western Carolina

Catamounts remain at home Sunday to host High Point in Cullowhee

Cullowhee, N.C. – Western Carolina women's soccer stormed back from a two-goal halftime deficit with a pair of markers coming directly off penalty kicks in Thursday night's 2025 season-opener against archrival Appalachian State. However, the Mountaineers capitalized on a fortuitous late bounce in front of the Catamount cage, burying the game-winning goal in the 89th minute to claim a 3-2 decision at the Catamount Athletics Complex.

Neither the players nor the fans could tell that the rivalry between Western Carolina and Appalachian State had been on pause for over a decade, as the match featured 27 combined fouls, three yellow cards, and three penalty kicks, two of which were awarded to WCU in the physical home opener.  

Trailing 2-0 going into the break, the Catamounts withstood an early App State push to keep the margin at two before rallying in the second half. Senior Milla Syska drew a hard foul in the box before notching the first goal of the season off a penalty kick in the 50th minute to cut the deficit in half.

The Catamounts were later awarded a second penalty kick – the third of the night by either team – in the 73rd minute. WCU sent goalkeeper Leanne Trudel from one end of the pitch to the other where she stepped into the box for her second career PK try. With the shot initially saved by redshirt freshman keeper Anna Claire Jacobi, Trudel pursued the carom, lofting it over the outstretched paw of the goalie to even the match at 2-all with just over 16 minutes to play.

Over the next 15 minutes, WCU continued its dominant second-half onslaught with four golden scoring opportunities and the team's ninth corner kick of the match. Close-range offerings by Isabella DeMarco, Milla Syska, and a pair of shots uncorked by Sofia Goclowski could not break the tie, sending the match to its final 95 seconds.

However, with time dwindling, Appalachian State's Ellie Garrison struck for her second of two goals, giving the Mountaineers a 3-2 advantage in the 89th minute. Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference selection Izzi Wood pressed the Catamount defense in front of the Trudel. The WCU defense failed to clear with the arrant attempt ending on Garrison's foot as she drove the game-winning goal into the lower right corner.

Over the final 80 seconds, the Catamounts were unable to post another shot in the match, falling to the Mountaineers despite leading in shots (16-to-13), shots on goal (9-to-5), and corner kicks (9-to-2).  

The usual suspects in DeMarco, Syska, and Goclowski carried the Catamount offense, with DeMarco pacing all players in the match with six shots, putting three on goal. Goclowski contributed three shots with two on target, and was followed in offensive productivity by Leanne Trudel, who ended her night with a goal on two shots, both on net, and a pair of saves in goal.

Catamount Notables:  

  • Leanne Trudel recorded her second career goal, burying a rebound off a saved penalty kick for WCU's first score of the season … Her first career goal came off a penalty try against VMI in 2023;  
  • Isabella DeMarco led both teams in offensive production outside of goals scored, blasting six shots, with three on goal … App State's Ellie Garrison recorded two of the three Mountaineer goals, including the game-winner, the third of her career;
  • Rylie Niemeyer, Mary Mueth, Abbie Wise, and Leanne Trudel were the only Catamounts to go the distance in the match, playing all 90 minutes;
  • Only two freshmen saw the pitch for WCU in Kylie White and Addison Davis ... Limestone transfer addition Lucie Bertrand and Madison Gellner from Daytona State, both received starts in the match, making their Catamount debuts;
  • The Catamounts have fallen in back-to-back season openers, dropping last year's opener to Florida 2-0 ... Following last year's season-opening loss in "the Swamp," the Catamounts compiled a 13-1-3 record to close out the regular season.

Up Next for The Catamounts:

Western Carolina remains at home to continue its three-match, season-opening homestand by hosting the High Point Panthers on Sunday, Aug. 17, at 1 p.m. The Panthers were voted to finish second in the Big South, but fell in their home opener to Virginia Tech 2-0. Admission to Sunday's match is free, courtesy of First Bank, and will be broadcast on ESPN+ (paid subscription required) with live stats online at CatamountSports.com.

WCU's three-game regular-season opening homestand concludes next Thursday, Aug. 21, as another former SoCon foe, Georgia Southern, comes to Cullowhee for a 6 p.m. tilt.

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