Farmville, Va. -- The Western Carolina women's soccer team battled with the Longwood Lancers for 90 minutes in damp conditions, with neither team scratching in a goal in the 0-0 draw. Despite holding a 19-8 advantage in shots and a 7-4 mark in shots on frame, the Catamounts and Lancers finished with their fourth consecutive draw in series history.  

WCU now holds a 2-3-2 mark on the season, while the Lancers sit at 3-3-1 after pausing a three-match losing streak with their first draw of the 2025 campaign. Both of Western Carolina's draws have come on the road, with the Catamounts maintaining a 1-0-2 record throughout their three road matches so far this season.  

The Catamounts opened the match with consistent pressure, but came away with only one shot in the first five minutes of the match as Mary Mueth sent the first scoring attempt high. The Lancers responded following the shot, taking three consecutive scoring opportunities off of two corner kicks, with Leanne Trudel picking up her first save of the night. Longwood's Coryn Silberstein nearly netted an early marker in the 7th minute, but sent it off the top woodwork and straight down, before bouncing out of play.  

Following the Longwood barrage, the Catamount offense rallied with eight consecutive shots to close the first half. Isabella DeMarco, Ava Robitaille, and Mary Mueth all put shots on frame, but none were able to break the draw.  

Longwood opened the second half with a scoring opportunity, finding the back of the cage off a corner kick in the 62nd minute. However, a foul by Longwood's Karleigh Minson on Leanne Trudel wiped the goal off the board, with Trudel fending off two more Lancer shots on target throughout the remainder of the match.  

The Catamounts pushed the attack on the Big South foe, with Gabriela Vatrano, Madison Gellner, and Milla Syska taking on target shots, with Syska's being the final shot on goal of the match in the 86th minute.  

Catamount Notables:

• The Catamounts and Lancers have battled to four consecutive draws dating back to 2021. Three of those draws, including tonight's match, have finished scoreless, with the sole exception being last season's 2-2 match.
• WCU recorded nine corner kicks in the first half of the match, tying their game-high total this season. The Catamounts finished with 10 corner kicks in the match.
• Leanne Trudel recorded her second shutout of the season. She is now three shutouts away from tying the WCU program record for career shutouts (Caitlin Williams – 28). She's picked up four saves in each of her shutouts this season.
• Abbie Wise, Samantha Whitaker, and Mary Mueth all went the distance in the 0-0 draw, with Mueth playing all 630 minutes so far this season.
• Mueth was one of three Catamounts with three shots, joining Isabella DeMarco and Ava Robitaille in offensive production. Milla Syska led the team with six shots, the second most in a match in her career.

Up Next for The Catamounts:
The Catamounts remain on the road as they take on a second consecutive Big South opponent in the Winthrop Eagles on September 7. Kick for the road matchup is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. in Rock Hill, S.C.
They'll then finish out the non-conference schedule as they take on the UNC Wilmington Seahawks on September 12 before opening Southern Conference play with the Samford Bulldogs in Birmingham, Ala., on September 18.