Cullowhee, N.C. – Western Carolina women's soccer remains on the road this weekend as the Catamounts travel to Knoxville, Tenn., to face the 16th-ranked Tennessee Lady Vols. Kickoff with the SEC foe is set for 6 p.m. at the Regal Soccer Stadium.
Sunday's matchup will be broadcast on SEC Network+ (paid subscription required) with live stats available online at CatamountSports.com.
Sunday's Matchup:
Western Carolina (1-1-1, 0-0-0 SoCon) at #16 Tennessee (3-0-0, 0-0-0 SEC)
Knoxville, Tenn. | 6 p.m. | Regal Soccer Stadium
Watch (SECN+): https://tinyurl.com/3wywhjxw
Live Stats: https://tinyurl.com/ybhc7ufx
Quick Cuts:
The Catamounts and Lady Vols meet for only the fifth time in program history, with Tennessee holding a 4-0 record. The two teams played last season in Cullowhee, with the then second-ranked Lady Vols claiming a 3-0 win. WCU last traveled to Knoxville in 2009, falling in a 2-1 decision, though Rachael Shomper gave the Catamounts an early 1-0 lead in the 5th minute.
WCU enters the matchup following a scoreless draw against mountain-rival Appalachian State. The Catamounts were outshot 11-3 in the road bout, though the Mountaineers only posted two shots on frame to WCU's one. The Catamounts are 1-8 all-time against SEC foes, with a win against No. 20 South Carolina in 2008 representing WCU's lone victory.
Tennessee enters the weekend ranked 16th in the country with a 3-0 record, most recently recording a 4-0 home win over Milwaukee. The Lady Vols have yet to leave their home pitch, outscoring foes 10-1 in the early weeks of the season. Tennessee is 31-1 all-time against Southern Conference competition, with Samford being the lone team to pull off the 1-0 upset back in 2013.
Players to Watch:
The Catamounts received temporary reinforcements in their match at Appalachian State, with fifth-years Isabella DeMarco and Ava Robitaille recording significant minutes. However, with a stay being issued in the Wisne vs. NCAA filing on Friday, the blanket fifth-year eligibility provided to student-athletes across the nation is paused.
Prior to DeMarco and Robitaille's return, the Catamounts were led offensively by Gabriela Vatrano. The junior striker out of Denver, N.C. posted a second-half brace in WCU's come-from-behind 4-2 win over Winthrop in the season opener. Vatrano has been efficient this season, putting all three of her shots on target.
Malia Roberts, Lauryn Smith, and Samantha Vibberts have all additionally recorded goals for the Catamounts this season, with Roberts most recently doing so against UNCW on a header off a corner kick. Vibberts netted her first goal of the season off a penalty kick against Winthrop to tie the match, while Smith scored her first career goal in the 30th minute against the Eagles.
In net, both Amara Yetka and Elizabeth Rupert have gone the distance in one match this season. The goalkeepers split time against Winthrop, with Rupert most recently going the full 90 and recording a shutout against Appalachian State.
Tennessee has spread the wealth offensively early in the season, with eight Lady Vols netting a goal. Fifth-year player Kylee Simmons and sophomore Kai Tsakiris are tied for the team lead with two goals each, though Simmons leads the team with six points on the season.
Junior goalkeeper Cayden Norris has seen the lion's share of minutes between the posts for Tennessee this season, recording all three wins and a solo shutout for the Lady Vols. She conceded only one goal, which came in the season opener against Rutgers.
Up Next for The Catamounts:
The Catamounts have a week away from live competition before hosting consecutive in-state foes in two of the biggest home matches for the program. WCU entertains directional rival East Carolina on Sunday, Aug. 30 for a 1 p.m. matchup before welcoming the NC State Wolfpack to Cullowhee on Thursday, Sept. 3 for a 7 p.m. kick.
Following the back-to-back home stretch, the Catamounts hit the road to close the nonconference schedule with West Georgia on Sept. 6 and Miami (OH) on Sept. 11.
