Cullowhee, N.C. – Western Carolina women's soccer sophomore Gabriela Vatrano collected the first Southern Conference Player of the Week honors today, earning the conference spotlight following her effort in WCU's 3-2 win over ACC-foe NC State.

Vatrano's first SoCon Offensive Player of the Week honor comes after a career performance against the NC State Wolfpack in Raleigh, with the Denver, N.C. product recording the first goal and assist of her career in a winning effort against the ACC foe.  

With the Catamounts reeling following an early NC State goal and strong offensive surge, Gabriela Vatrano capitalized on a Wolfpack giveaway late in the first half to net the first WCU goal of the night. Ava Robitaille jumped in front of the pass and redirected it to Vatrano, who sprinted to the right side of the box before ripping a shot to equalize the match in the 40th minute.  

As time dwindled and with the score knotted at 2-2, Vatrano again provided a spark for the Catamounts as she connected with Sofia Goclowski for the game-winning goal in the 86th minute. Vatrano maintained her balance through contact, drawing in a host of Wolfpack defenders before slipping a perfectly placed cross through the defense to an open Goclowski, who needed only one touch to finish off the match.  

The win was WCU's first win over an ACC opponent in program history and the first win by a Southern Conference team over the ACC since 2015, when UNCG also took down NC State (2-0) and Samford earned a 2-1 win over Wake Forest.  

Vatrano and the Catamounts will be back in action for a pair of road matches this week as WCU heads to Farmville, Va., to face the Longwood Lancers on Sept. 4 for a 6 p.m. kick before swinging down to Rock Hill, S.C., to battle the Winthrop Eagles on Sept. 7.