Cullowhee, N.C. – Western Carolina women's soccer closes the home portion of its nonconference schedule on Thursday night, returning to the Catamount Athletic Complex to host in-state ACC foe North Carolina State under the lights with kickoff at 7 p.m.
It's the second-straight season – and third time in the past five seasons – that the Catamounts have hosted a Power Four conference foe in #CatamountCountry after entertaining second-ranked Tennessee last fall and No. 18 Clemson back in 2022.
Thursday night's match has been billed as "Ted Lasso Night," referencing the hit television soccer show. Themed music, a "be a goldfish" gate giveaway, and a Ted Lasso lookalike contest are scheduled for the night.
Admission on Thursday – and each of the remaining regular-season matches in Cullowhee – is free of charge. Thursday's game will be streamed on ESPN+ (paid subscription required) with live stats available online at CatamountSports.com.
Thursday's Matchup:
Western Carolina (1-3-1) vs. NC State (6-0-0)
Cullowhee, N.C. | 7 p.m. | Catamount Athletic Complex
Live Stats: NC State at Western Carolina
ESPN+: NC State vs. Western Carolina 9/3/26 - Stream the Match Live - Watch ESPN
Quick Cuts:
The Catamounts and Wolfpack meet for the second consecutive season and the sixth time in series history. NC State leads the series 3-1-1, though the Catamounts claimed a 3-2 road victory last season. Thursday's meeting marks the first in Cullowhee in program history as NC State is the first ACC opponent to make the trip since Clemson in 2022.
Western Carolina enters the Thursday night matchup on a two-game losing skid, falling to 16th-ranked Tennessee 4-0 in Knoxville and most recently falling 2-0 at home to East Carolina.
The Catamounts are still looking to find consistency in their starting 11, as only returners Malia Roberts and Samantha Whitaker, Louisiana Tech transfer Alexe Drolet, and freshman Katarina Schmidler have started all five matches this season. WCU has been unable to produce the volume of offensive opportunities it had grown accustomed to in recent seasons. Despite the decreased volume, the Catamounts have still been efficient in their attacking threats, posting a 51.3% shot-on-goal percentage so far.
NC State is one of the hottest teams in the country, recording six wins and 22 goals to date, most recently downing Davidson 6-1 in Raleigh. The Wolfpack have won five of their six matches by at least two goals, and four of those five have been decided by three or more. Their lone match decided by one goal was a 2-1 win over Elon, which NC State led 2-nil through 76 minutes before the Phoenix broke through with a marker. NC State is outshooting opponents 136-49 so far this season, and their 22.7 shots per game average ranks third-best in the country.
The two teams haven't shared an opponent this season, though NC State is currently on a successful revenge tour. The Wolfpack are currently 3-0 against teams they either tied or lost to last season, including a 3-1 win on the road over James Madison (L, 3-0 vs JMU in 2025), a 2-1 home win over Elon (T, 0-0 at Elon in 2025), and a 6-1 win over Davidson (L, 1-0 at Davidson in 2025).
Players to Watch:
The Catamounts continue to seek consistent playmakers in 2026, with Gabriela Vatrano continuing to lead the team in goals and points scored. The junior has been effective and efficient off the bench, putting six of her seven shots on frame. The Denver, N.C. product notched three points in WCU's win against NC State last season, posting a goal and recording an assist on the game-winner.
Two defenders have been WCU's minutes leaders through the opening five matches of the season, as Samantha Whitaker and Alexe Drolet have recorded 427 and 395 minutes, respectively. Freshman Katarina Schmidler ranks third on the team with 345 minutes of action and has started all five matches this season, while Alexandra Grammenopoulos ranks fourth and has started the last two matches.
Goalkeepers Elizabeth Rupert and Amara Yetka split time against East Carolina, with the former earning her third start of the season and the latter finishing the match with a second-half shutout. Yetka has seen 270 minutes of action between the posts for WCU this season and most recently started WCU's last match against a P4 opponent, going the distance against Tennessee for 12 saves.
NC State is led by prolific goalscorer Jade Bordeleau, who enters Thursday's matchup coming off a hat trick against Davidson, netting her ACC co-Offensive Player of the Week honors for a nine-point week. The senior striker ranks second in the nation with eight goals this season and scored both of NC State's goals in their 3-2 loss to WCU last season.
Three Wolfpack keepers have stood between the posts this season, though Riley Pickels has commanded 295 minutes of game action. The freshman goalkeeper is 4-0 this season, recording nine saves and a .818 save percentage while conceding only two goals. Ellie Breech ranks second on the team with 144 minutes, but leads NC State with 11 saves and a .917 save percentage.
Up Next for The Catamounts:
Western Carolina hits the road for three straight matches, closing out the non-conference schedule with West Georgia in Carrollton, Ga. on Sept. 6 before taking on Miami (OH) in Oxford, Ohio on Sept. 11. They'll then open conference play in Greensboro, N.C., battling UNCG in a 7 p.m. kick on Sept. 17.
The Catamounts will return home on Sept. 20 to host the Samford Bulldogs for a 1 p.m. kick on Youth Soccer Day.
