Cullowhee, N.C. – Western Carolina women's soccer closes out the nonconference portion of its schedule on the road this week as the Catamounts take on in-state foe UNC Wilmington in the Port City. Kick for the final match of the out-of-conference season is slated for 7 p.m. at the UNCW Soccer Stadium on Friday, Sept. 12.
Friday's matchup will be livestreamed on FloCollege (paid subscription required), with live stats available through CatamountSports.com.
Friday's Matchup:
Western Carolina (3-3-2, SoCon 0-0-0) at UNC Wilmington (4-2-1, CAA 0-0-0)
Wilmington, N.C. | UNCW Soccer Stadium | 7 p.m.
Watch (FloCollege): https://tinyurl.com/25synfkn
Live Stats: https://tinyurl.com/bdd44che
Quick Cuts:
The Catamounts and Seahawks meet for only the third time in series history, with the Catamounts holding a 2-0-0 edge over the fellow UNC system school. WCU earned a one-goal win in the last meeting with UNCW, battling for a 2-1 victory in Greenville, N.C. The Catamounts also claimed the first matchup in series history in 2011, scratching out a 1-0 road win over the Seahawks.
Western Carolina comes into Friday's nonconference finale riding a two-match unbeaten streak, most recently blanking the Winthrop Eagles 2-0 on the road. The Catamounts are in the midst of a five-match road swing, but have enjoyed most of their success away from Cullowhee this season. WCU 2-0-2 so far in road matches, outscoring opponents 7-4 and taking an average of 16.25 shots per match.
The Catamounts haven't faced CAA opposition frequently, with Friday's matchup being their first against the conference since a 1-1 draw with former SoCon foe Elon in 2018.
The Seahawks enter the matchup on a three-match unbeaten streak, having drawn with East Carolina 1-1 and notched wins over Georgia Southern (1-0) and High Point (3-0). UNCW is 1-2 on their home pitch, though they have faced stiff competition in the Charlotte 49ers (L, 2-0) and the then 25th-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes (L, 1-0).
UNCW faced UNC Greensboro in a high-scoring affair early in the season, taking a 3-2 win over the Spartans for their first win of the year. Wilmington jumped out to an early 2-0 lead midway through the match, before the Spartans netted two goals in the second half. UNCG recorded a third goal in the match, but unfortunately for the SoCon representative, it was an own goal in the 82nd minute, giving the Seahawks the win late.
Players to Watch:
Reigning SoCon Defensive Player of the Year Ava Robitaille has flashed her offensive capabilities in the early going of the 2025 campaign. The Catamount senior is tied with Sofia Goclowski and Milla Syska for the team lead in goals with two. Robitaille most recently scored the first game-winning goal of her career at Winthrop, taking two shots in the match.
Mary Mueth, Abbie Wise, Samantha Whitaker, and Addison Davis have kept goalkeeper Leanne Trudel clean in recent weeks, only allowing 13 combined shots with five on goal in a pair of shutouts against Longwood and Winthrop. Trudel picked up four saves in the scoreless draw with Longwood and ranks second in the SoCon with 35.
UNC Wilmington is led offensively by sophomore midfielder Allie Planeaux, who has a team-leading three goals entering the week. Planeaux has been efficient as well, scoring her three goals on only three shots on goal with six total shots this season. The Seahawks have been the beneficiaries of two game-winning own goals this year, one against UNCG and another against Coastal Carolina in the 81st minute.
Five other Seahawks have a goal this season, with Wilmington capable of attacking from any direction on the pitch.
Two Seahawks have seen action between the posts this season, with Morgan Hobbs starting six matches, while Zoe Anderson has appeared in four with one start. The two keepers split time in goal their last time out against High Point, though Hobbs has recorded 436:27 minutes of action while Anderson has seen 193:33. Anderson leads the two in GAA (.93), saves (13), and save percentage (.867), but Hobbs has a respectable line of 1.03 GAA, 12 saves, and .706 save percentage.
Up Next for The Catamounts:
Southern Conference play arrives in a big way for the two-time defending league champion Catamounts, who will battle the Samford Bulldogs in Birmingham, Ala., on Thursday, Sept. 18, in a rematch of the past two conference championships. The Cats and Bulldogs battle at 7 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. CT, before taking on the Mercer Bears in Macon, Ga., on Sunday, Sept. 21 at 2 p.m.
Western Carolina returns home on Sept. 26 to host the Furman Paladins for a 7 p.m. kick at the Catamount Athletics Complex.
