Western Carolina University

Cullowhee, N.C. – Gabriela Vatrano scored a second-half brace to cap Western Carolina's come-from-behind, season-opening victory over Winthrop on Thursday night as the Catamounts rallied from a 2-0 deficit with four unanswered goals in the 4-2 win in nonconference women's soccer action at the Catamount Athletic Complex.

Trailing Winthrop 2-0 midway through the first half, Western Carolina received an offensive spark as freshman Lauryn Smith scored her first career goal from range, lighting the scoreboard with the first score of the regular season in the 30th minute. The Catamounts built on the initial marker, scoring the equalizer on a penalty-kick conversion by Samantha Vibberts to send the squads to the locker room level at two.

Vatrano found the back of the net twice after intermission as the Catamounts downed the Big South foe, 4-2, securing the season-opening win and a fifth straight in the head-to-head series over Winthrop. WCU improved to 1-0 on the young season as one of only three Southern Conference squads to win their season opener. Winthrop falls to 0-1 and 0-8-1 against the Catamounts in the all-time series.

Outside of a brief run early in the match, capped by Caroline Simpkins taking WCU's first shot of the season, Winthrop controlled the pace of play in the first half. The Eagles peppered the Catamount backline, taking a pair of corner kicks and three shots before Lindsay Sheets struck first to give the road team a 1-0 advantage. Winthrop's Monssi Avila-Guitierrez built on the early lead, striking for a second goal on a diving header as the Catamounts struggled to string together productive possessions early on.

Down a pair, Lauryn Smith gave the Catamounts life as she lobbed a shot from outside the box on target. Winthrop's rookie goalkeeper Mia Ruffalo initially punched the shot high, but it looped just over and behind her. The freshman was unable to corral the deflection, which bounced into the back of the net for WCU's first goal of the season and the first of Smith's career in the 30th minute.

The Catamounts pushed to close the final minutes of the half with momentum, with the freshman class posting four consecutive shots courtesy of Darien Vita, Alexandra Zents, Brielle Von Colln, and Smith. With the Catamounts pressing, a handball foul was called against Winthrop after a challenge by the keen-eyed WCU coaching staff, rewarding a penalty try for the home team. Samantha Vibberts took the penalty, burying it in the bottom left corner of the net past a diving Rufalo to even the match. Vibberts improved to 2-for-2 on PKs in her career.

Both teams traded blows throughout the second half, with Winthrop outshooting WCU 6-4 through over 10 minutes early in the frame. Additionally, the Eagles managed to pile up the corner kick opportunities. Sophomore Amara Yetka, who received the second-half start between the posts, had a critical save off a set piece as she grabbed a quick redirection off a corner to keep the match tied. Yetka finished with three saves.

Late-season hero Gabriela Vatrano substituted into the match in the 69th minute, and quickly made an impact. The Denver, N.C. product notched her first goal of the season and the eventual game-winner in the 78th minute, with Mackenzie Howard contributing on the assist. Vatrano struck again for an insurance goal and her first career multi-goal effort in the 85th minute, with Malia Roberts connecting with the striker for an assist.

Neither team fired a shot through in the final minutes of the match as the Catamounts held on for the 4-2 season-opening victory.

Leaning on their depth, a combined 24 Catamounts saw the pitch in the season opener, including 12 of WCU's 14 newcomers to the roster. Vibberts led the Catamounts with three shots, scoring on her only attempt on net. Four Catamounts recorded two shots, including  Simpkins, Smith, Darien Vita, and Vatrano, with the latter netting her only two attempts of the night.

By design, the Catamounts split halves at goalkeeper for the first time since Leanne Trudel, as a freshman, and Eden Reece did so in October of 2022. Freshman Elizabeth Rupert earned the opening-night start and Amara Yetka went the final 45. Rupert collected one save in her first-half appearance, with Yetka earning three saves and the win with a second-half shutout.

Catamount Notables:

• WCU won its season-opening match for the first time since 2023, when the Catamounts downed UNC Asheville 1-0. The 4-2 win is also WCU's first home-opening victory since a 6-1 decision against UNC Asheville in 2024.
• The two-goal comeback victory for the Catamounts is the largest deficit the team has overcome in a win since trailing 2-0 in a 3-2 win over Appalachian State back in 2006.
• 24 Catamounts saw action in the 4-2 win, with 14 making their WCU debuts and 10 making their collegiate debuts.
• Gabriela Vatrano's second-half brace is the first multi-goal effort in WCU's season opener since Natasha Moore posted a hat trick against FIU in 2002. She's the first Catamount to record a multi-goal effort in the home opener since Kirsten Hahn netted a hat trick against UNC Asheville in 2024.
• Lauryn Smith became the first freshman to score WCU's first goal of the season since Markie-Lynn Studnicky did so against West Virginia in 2012
• Two Catamount goalkeepers manned the posts for the first time since Leanne Trudel ceded 18:30 minutes to Olivia Mickey in a 6-1 win over Wofford in the 2024 season.
• In Thursday's win, no Catamount played the full 90 minutes – a first for the squad since a 2-1 loss to UT Martin in 2023.
• The Catamounts were the only team in the Southern Conference to score more than two goals in their season opener. They were one of five to concede two or more goals and were one of only three to win their opener, joining Mercer (2 –1 vs Jackson State) and UNCG (1-0 vs High Point) atop the conference standings.
• WCU is now 8-0-1 against Winthrop in the all-time series

Up Next for The Catamounts:

Western Carolina remains at home to conclude a four-match season-opening homestand – two in exhibition play, two in the regular season – as the Catamounts host instate foe UNC Wilmington on Sunday, Aug. 16 at 1 p.m. The Seahawks are the reigning CAA South Division champions also earned a win in their season opener, blanking Appalachian State 3-0 on Thursday.

Following Sunday's match, the Catamounts hit the road for the first time this season to take on App State in Boone, N.C. for a 6 p.m. tilt on Thursday, Aug. 20.