Cullowhee, N.C. – Western Carolina women's soccer remains on the road for an in-state midweek matchup as the Catamounts venture to the "City of Oaks," Raleigh, N.C., to take on the NC State Wolfpack. Wednesday night's matchup is scheduled to start at 7 p.m. at the Dail Soccer Field/Track Complex.
WCU's fifth match of the season will be livestreamed on ACCNX (paid subscription required), with live stats available on CatamountSports.com
Wednesday's Matchup:
Western Carolina (1-2-1, SoCon 0-0-0) at NC State (0-3-1, ACC 0-0-0)
Raleigh, N.C. | 7 p.m. | Dail Soccer Field/Track Complex
Watch (ACCNX): https://tinyurl.com/msy4eef8
Live Stats: https://gopack.com/sidearmstats/wsoc/summary
Quick Cuts:
The Catamounts and Wolfpack meet for the fifth time in series history, with NC State holding a 3-0-1 record into the match against the Catamounts. WCU has been outscored in the series 6-1, as the most recent match was a 1-0 win for NC State in 2017. The previous match played to a 1-1 draw in 2014. WCU is still searching for its first win against the ACC in program history, carrying a 0-14-1 mark all-time.
Western Carolina enters after a hard-fought 2-2 draw on the road against the Lipscomb Bisons, the preseason favorite in the ASUN Conference. Outshot 12-to-3 in the first half, the Catamounts rallied in the second with nine shots of their own, including the game-tying goal off the right foot of freshman Kylie White, her first career marker.
Entering the week, the Catamounts are second in the Southern Conference in shots, trailing only Furman's 71 total attempts, though 46 of those came against NCCAA DII Bob Jones. WCU's five goals are the third most in the conference, behind Chattanooga's 11 and Furman's 9.
NC State rides into the match looking to pump the brakes on an opening season skid, with the Wolfpack posting a 0-3-1 record through their first four matches. The Wolfpack have been outscored 8-1, including a pair of 3-0 shutout losses to James Madison and #20 Michigan State. NC State most recently fell in a 1-0 shutout loss at Davidson, with their only non-loss being a 1-1 draw at East Carolina. Despite the lopsided scores, the Wolfpack have produced offensive opportunities, including 50 shots with 24 of those on target this season.
Players to Watch:
Milla Syska notched her second goal of the season, capitalizing on an Abbie Wise lob to give the Catamounts a 1-0 lead early against Lipscomb. The senior Catamount has goals on both of her on-target shots this season and is tied for second in the Southern Conference in goals scored. Isabella DeMarco and Sofia Goclowski continue to keep the hammer down, taking 13 shots through WCU's first four matches. The duo is tied for the lead in the SoCon, despite Goclowski being the only one of the two to record a goal so far this season.
A pair of freshmen continue to make an early impact for the Catamounts, as Kylie White and Addison Davis recorded significant minutes in their last time out. White notched the game-tying goal in the 83rd minute against the Bisons, netting the first goal of her career off a Samantha Whitaker pass, while Davis earned her first start on a Catamount backline that's shuffled positions early in the season.
NC State is trying to right the ship early in the season, with Antonella Mazziotto leading the way offensively for the Wolfpack. The Uruguayan product leads the team with nine shots and has NC State's only goal of the season, striking in the 71st minute to even the match with East Carolina.
Three goalkeepers have seen time for the Wolfpack this season, with Olivia Pratapas playing the lion's share of minutes. She's tended the twine for 296 minutes in four game appearances, though Emily Earles played the final 45 minutes in NC State's 1-0 loss to Davidson, making two saves without conceding a goal in the loss.
Up Next for The Catamounts:
The Catamounts are set to return to the home pitch to host nationally ranked Tennessee on Sunday, Aug. 31, at 7 p.m. as a part of First Bank First Weekend. WCU will celebrate "Beach Night" against the nationally-ranked Lady Vols at 6 p.m. The first 300 fans through the gates will receive a FREE pair of WCU Malibu sunglasses, courtesy of First Bank.
WCU will then hit the road for the first of five consecutive matches stretching throughout most of September. The first stop on the nearly month-long road trip is Farmville, Va., as the Catamounts battle the Longwood Lancers on September 4.
