Cullowhee, N.C. – The Western Carolina women's soccer team returns home on Sunday afternoon as the Catamounts host the Samford Bulldogs. Kickoff with the reigning Southern Conference champions is set for 1 p.m. at the on-campus Catamount Athletic Complex.
Sunday afternoon's conference season home opener will be streamed on ESPN+ (paid subscription required), with live stats available through CatamountSports.com.
Sunday's Matchup:
Western Carolina (3-5-1, 1-0 SoCon) vs Samford (3-2-3, 0-0 SoCon)
Sept. 20, 2026 | Cullowhee, N.C. | 1 p.m. | Catamount Athletic Complex
Watch (ESPN+): https://tinyurl.com/sypmr3t6
Live Stats: https://tinyurl.com/4jx24jys
Around the Southern Conference (Sept. 20):
The Citadel at Chattanooga | Chattanooga, Tenn. | 1 p.m.
Samford at Western Carolina | Cullowhee, N.C. | 1 p.m.
Furman at Tennessee Tech | Cookeville, Tenn. | 2 p.m.
UNCG at VMI | Lexington, Va. | 2 p.m.
ETSU at Wofford | Spartanburg, S.C. | 2 p.m.
Quick Cuts:
The Catamounts and Bulldogs meet for the 23rd time in series history, with Samford leading 15-5-2. The Catamounts, though, have won three of the last five matchups, including the last regular-season matchup in Cullowhee in 2024. WCU defended its home pitch with a 2-0 win in the 2024 regular season, but Samford ultimately claimed a 1-0 SoCon tournament championship win over the Catamounts in Cullowhee later that same season.
Western Carolina enters Sunday's showdown after recording a 1-0 win over UNCG on the road in its SoCon opener. The Catamounts buckled down defensively, holding the Spartans to only two shots on goal and were the beneficiaries of an own-goal in the 75th minute. The Catamounts have had their struggles at home this season, posting a 1-3 record at the Catamount Athletic Complex, with their one win coming in the season opener against Winthrop.
Samford enters the match after a week away from competition, with its most recent match coming in a 2-0 loss to the UAB Blazers on Sept. 10. The Bulldogs are winless on the road this season, going 0-1-2 away from Homewood, Ala.
The two teams haven't shared a regular-season opponent yet this season, outside of Georgia State who the Catamounts hosted in a preseason exhibition. The Bulldogs claimed a hard-fought 1-0 win over the Panthers in late August. Samford has a handful of impressive results against Power Four competition this season, going 1-1-2 with a preseason 3-2 win over Ole Miss, a season-opening 0-0 draw with then #2 Notre Dame, a 1-0 loss to #6 Alabama, and a 0-0 draw with Auburn.
Players to Watch:
The Catamounts have relied heavily on their backline this season, grinding out a pair of 1-0 shutout wins in their last three matches. In that stretch, defenders Alexe Drolet, Alexandra Grammenopoulos, and Samantha Whitaker have played a combined 507 of the possible 540 minutes, holding West Georgia to just three shots on goal and limiting UNCG to only two.
WCU is still trying to find its footing offensively, with freshman Darien Vita most recently firing three shots and putting one on frame against UNCG. Vita leads the team in total shots, taking 12 so far this season with Gabriela Vatrano close behind at 11. Vatrano leads the Catamounts in shots on goal, putting eight of her 11 on frame.
Elizabeth Rupert received the starting nod against UNCG, going the distance against the Spartans for her first career shutout and conference win. The freshman goalkeeper recorded two saves in the road win.
Martha Bishop leads Samford in scoring so far this season, posting four points with a pair of goals and nine shots on target. Brinley Murphy has four points, tied for the team lead with a goal and two assists. She also leads Samford in total shots, taking 15 and putting six on net.
Between the posts, stalwart Peyton Hull has maintained her elite standing, recording 30 saves and an .882 save percentage. Hull has conceded only four goals this season, all to teams from the state of Alabama. She is 3-1-3 this season, with four shutouts to her name.
Up Next for the Catamounts:
After Sunday's match, Western Carolina is back on the road SoCon action on Friday, Sept. 25, as the Catamounts visit the Wofford Terriers for a 6 p.m. kick in Spartanburg, S.C.
The Catamounts will return home on Oct. 1 to host the ETSU Bucs for the annual Blackout match before taking on Chattanooga on the road on Oct. 4.
