Cullowhee, N.C. – Western Carolina women's soccer returns to the road as the Catamounts visit the Wofford Terriers on Friday in Southern Conference play. Kickoff from Snyder Field in Spartanburg, S.C., is set for 6 p.m.
Friday night's matchup will be streamed on ESPN+ (paid subscription required), with live stats available through CatamountSports.com.
Friday's Matchup:
Western Carolina (3-6-1, 1-1 SoCon) at Wofford (3-5-1, 0-2 SoCon)
Sept. 25, 2026 | Spartanburg, S.C. | 6 p.m. | Snyder Field
Watch (ESPN+): https://tinyurl.com/y2tw67rb
Live Stats: https://tinyurl.com/nh9wn7u
This Week Around the Southern Conference (9/24 - 9/27):
9/24 | UNCG at The Citadel | Charleston, S.C. | 4 p.m.
9/25 | Tennessee Tech at ETSU | Johnson City, Tenn. | 6 p.m.
9/25 | Western Carolina at Wofford | Spartanburg, S.C. | 6 p.m.
9/25 | Mercer at Samford | Birmingham, Ala. | 7 p.m.
9/27 | VMI at Furman | Greenville, S.C. | 1 p.m.
Quick Cuts:
The Catamounts and Terriers meet for the 33rd time in series history, with WCU holding a 22-7-3 record, including a 13-match series win streak. The last Terrier win came back in Cullowhee in 2013, while WCU's last road loss at Wofford came in 2005, with the Catamounts falling 1-0 in Spartanburg.
WCU enters Friday's matchup after falling to the reigning Southern Conference champion Samford Bulldogs, 2-1, last Sunday. The Catamounts mounted a second-half rally, pulling within a goal of the Bulldogs in the 83rd minute, but Samford held on for the road win.
WCU is 1-0 on the road in SoCon play this season, with their lone win coming in a 1-0 victory over UNCG after a Spartan own-goal in the 76th minute broke the stalemate.
Wofford comes into Friday's conference bout with a 3-5-1 record overall and a 0-2 mark in conference play. The Terriers have been shut out in both SoCon matches so far this season, falling 2-0 at Furman and 2-0 against ETSU at home their last time out.
The two teams have one common opponent facing Winthrop, with both teams securing a multi-goal win over the Big South foe. WCU posted a 4-2 win in the season opener over the Eagles, netting four unanswered goals in a comeback win, while the Terriers recorded a 3-0 win in their nonconference finale.
Players to Watch:
Gabriela Vatrano continues to lead the Western Carolina attack as the junior posted her third goal of the season, bringing the Catamounts within one of Samford on Sunday in the 83rd minute. Vatrano leads the team with six points, and her three goals already match her season total from last year. She ranks second on the team with 12 shots, just two behind Darien Vita's 14, and leads the squad with nine shots on goal.
The Catamounts played six different defenders along the backline during the match against Samford, as Alexe Drolet and Rylie Niemeyer both left the match due to injury at different points. Emma Soucy, Alexandra Grammenopoulos, Samantha Whitaker, and Lauryn Smith were WCU's final defensive alignment when the match concluded.
Amara Yetka started and played the full 90 minutes in WCU's home loss to Samford, conceding two goals but picking up seven saves. Yetka has started six of WCU's matches this season, posting a .745 save percentage and recording 38 saves. Freshman goalkeeper Elizabeth Rupert recorded a shutout win in WCU's conference opening match at UNCG, recording two saves in road action. Rupert has conceded four goals this season, all coming in Cullowhee. In road matches, the Huntersville, N.C. has denied six goals while facing 23 shots in 197:59 minutes of play.
Wofford is led offensively by Annie Andrews, who has posted nine points on three goals and three assists. She ranks third on the team in shots behind Julia Grier's team-leading total of 17 and Maya Lake's 11. Lake leads the Terriers with 10 shots on goal and is followed by Grier's nine.
In net, mainstay Elizabeth Navola leads the Terriers with 38 saves in 731 minutes of action this season. She's posted a .778 save percentage and has allowed four goals on 18 shots on goal in her two SoCon matches this season.
Up Next for The Catamounts:
WCU is back at home on Thursday, Oct. 1, as the Catamounts host East Tennessee State for the annual Blackout match. Kickoff at the Catamount Athletic Complex is set for 7 p.m.
The Catamounts then hit the road to Chattanooga on Oct. 4 for a 2 p.m. kick before hosting The Citadel for Senior Day on Oct. 11 at 2 p.m.
