Cullowhee, N.C. – Sofia Goclowski scored on a header in the 78
th minute to help top-seeded Western Carolina edge No. 4 seed Furman, 1-0, in the semifinal round of the Southern Conference Women's Soccer Championship on Sunday afternoon at the Catamount Soccer Complex in Cullowhee, N.C.
The Catamounts (12-4-3) advanced to next weekend's championship match and will host the winner of this afternoon's ETSU-Samford contest in the SoCon finals in Cullowhee. Furman concluded its season at 7-5-7.
Western Carolina broke the deadlock at the 77:36 mark when Mackenzie Megill played a cross from the left edge of the box and Goclowski nodded her shot from the top of the six-yard box inside the right-side netting to give her team the 1-0 lead. Goalkeeper Leanna Trudel leaped to grab a
Miya Poplin free kick that floated towards goal in the 87
th minute and the Catamount defense finished off the shutout to send WCU to the finals.
"Western Carolina has an outstanding team and they are especially hard to beat on their home field," said Paladin head coach
Andrew Burr. "It was a typical tournament-type match where scoring opportunities can be few and far between. I thought our team showed a lot of fight and we are excited to build on that for next season."
Trudel totaled four saves on the day to earn the clean sheet while Furman's
Addison Corn stopped five shots in her final game as a Paladin. Western Carolina managed an 11-7 edge in total shot attempts and 6-4 advantage in shots on goal.
After a scoreless first half in which Western Carolina recorded the only three shots on goal, the teams traded chances over the final 45 minutes. With 33 minutes to play in regulation, Furman's
Julie Galie found space on the left wing and unleashed a left-footed shot that banged off the outside of the left post. In the 61
st minute, Western Carolina created a dangerous situation off a corner kick, but Corn smothered a bouncing ball through traffic in the box.
The Catamounts' Isabella DeMarco ran onto a chipped pass over the defense in the 64
th minute only to have Corn stop her shot near the right post. Furman's
Valentina Mosquera provided one of the last clear-cut opportunities for the Paladins in the 74
th minute, but Trudel made a sprawling stop at the right post to keep the visitors off the scoreboard.
2023 Women's Soccer Championship
Tuesday, Oct. 24
First Round (at higher seeds)
Match 1: No. 8 Wofford 2, No. 9 VMI 1
Match 2: No. 7 Mercer 1, No 10 The Citadel 0
Friday, Oct. 27
Quarterfinals (at No. 1 & No. 2 seeds)
Match 3: No. 4 Furman 2, No. 5 UNCG 2, Paladins advance on PKs, 3-1 (Cullowhee, North Carolina)
Match 4: No. 1 Western Carolina 5, No. 8 Wofford (Cullowhee, North Carolina)
Match 5: No. 2 ETSU 1, No. 7 Mercer 0 (Johnson City, Tennessee)
Match 6: No. 3 Samford 3, No. 6 Chattanooga 2 (Johnson City, Tennessee)
Sunday, Oct. 29
Semifinals (at No. 1 & No. 2 seeds)
Match 7: No. 1 Western Carolina 1, No. 4 Furman 0 (Cullowhee, North Carolina)
Match 8: No. 3 Samford at No. 2 ETSU, 2 p.m. (Johnson City, Tennessee)
Saturday, Nov. 4, or Sunday, Nov. 5
Final (Cullowhee, N.C.)
Match 9: Winner Match 8 at No. 1 Western Carolina, TBD
*all times Eastern unless otherwise noted
