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Schedule

Full
Isabella DeMarco vs Tennessee 2025
3
Winner Tennessee TENN (5-0-0, 0-0-0)
0
Western Caro. WCU (2-3-1, 0-0-0)
Winner
Tennessee TENN
(5-0-0, 0-0-0)
3
Final
0
Western Caro. WCU
(2-3-1, 0-0-0)
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Tennessee TENN 1 2 3
Western Caro. WCU 0 0 0

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

Catamount Soccer Battles in Home Loss to #2 Tennessee

Cullowhee, N.C. – Facing its toughest opponent to play on the pitch at the Catamount Athletic Complex in the history of the program, the Western Carolina women's soccer team battled the second-ranked Tennessee Lady Vols before falling to the SEC opponent 3-0 on Sunday evening.

WCU's Sofia Goclowski and Tennessee's Reese Mattern finished tied for the most shots in the match, both posting four, though Mattern was one of three Lady Vols to record a goal in the match.

Western Carolina falls to 2-3-1 on the season, while the Lady Vols now stand at 5-0, with five consecutive shutout victories.  

With the Lady Vols coming into the match with one of the strongest offenses in the nation, head coach Chad Miller and staff opted to field a lineup consisting of five Catamount defenders, with freshman Addison Davis receiving the first home start of her career to join Abbie Wise, Samantha Whitaker, Mary Mueth, and Rylie Niemeyer along the backline. The change prevented the Lady Vols from overpowering the Catamount defense throughout the first half, though Tennessee held a 4-2 advantage in shots through the first 20 minutes of the match.  

Leanne Trudel collected three of her seven saves in the opening 45 minutes, though the Lady Vols scored off a corner kick in the 42nd minute to break the draw. Adjusting at halftime to the defense-first mentality of the usually offensive-minded Catamounts, Tennessee struck again early in the second, doubling their lead in the 50th minute before scoring a third and final time in the 66th to provide the final tally.

The Catamounts flashed more offensively in the second half, taking four shots in the period with Sofia Goclowski aiming twice with WCU's only on-target attempt in the 51st minute. Usually at the point of the Catamounts' offensive spear, Isabella DeMarco and Milla Syska both managed shots on Sunday, though the Lady Vols held a strong 17-6 advantage in attempts in the road tally.

Catamount Notables:

  • The #2 Tennessee Lady Vols were the highest-ranked home opponent for the Catamounts in program history.
  • The 17 shots allowed to the Lady Vols were the fewest taken by Tennessee in their non-Power Four Conference matches this season … the 17 attempts were also the fewest allowed by the Catamounts in series history with the Lady Vols, with the previous low being the 29 allowed in 2008 and 2009.
  • The Catamounts held Tennessee's leading goal scorer, Shea O'Rourke, off the scoreboard for the first time this season.
  • Sofia Goclowski posted her third game of the season with at least four shot attempts and her fourth with two shots on goal. Goclowski is one of three players to post four shots and two shots on goal against the Lady Vols, joining North Carolina's Olivia Thomas and UCLA's Val Vargas.
  • Freshman Addison Davis was the only freshman to see action against the #2 Lady Vols, earning her second start of the season.
  • WCU fielded a lineup of five defenders for the first time this year, with Davis, Abbie Wise, Samantha Whitaker, and Mary Mueth all seeing the pitch for 90 minutes. Rylie Niemeyer saw 82 minutes of game action, as well.
  • Leanne Trudel recorded her third consecutive match with at least 6 saves, denying seven would-be goals in the 3-0 loss. She ranks second in the SoCon with 31 saves on the season

Up Next for The Catamounts:

Western Carolina hits the road for five consecutive matches, opening in Farmville, Va., against the Longwood Lancers on September 4. The Catamounts then swing down to Rock Hill, S.C., to face the Winthrop Eagles on September 7 before closing out the nonconference slate with the UNC Wilmington Seahawks on September 12.  

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