CULLOWHEE, N.C. – The seventh-seeded UNC Greensboro (UNCG) women’s soccer team fell 4-3 to the second-seeded Western Carolina Catamounts in overtime on Friday night at Catamount Athletic Complex in The Southern Conference (SoCon) quarterfinal matchup.

The Catamounts advance to a SoCon Semifinal match against the sixth-seeded Mercer Bears, which will be played on Sunday, Nov. 2 at 2:00 p.m. at Catamount Athletic Complex.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Just 1:18 into the game, Western Carolina put a tally on the board. Isabella DeMarco collected a loose ball at the top of the 18-yard box and launched a shot with her left foot to the left upper 90 for a 1-0 lead. In the 30th minute, the Catamounts had back-to-back corner kicks and on the second, DeMarco sent a low ball through traffic crossing the goal line for a 2-0 advantage at 29:44. The Spartans took the ball down to their attacking third in the 34th minute and at 34:33, Western Carolina was called for a foul inside the box, setting UNCG up for a penalty kick. Rina Ogimoto took the kick and buried the ball to the lower left corner, cutting the deficit to 2-1. The Spartans held the advantage for the remaining minutes of the half with two late shots and two corner kicks, but they went into the break down 2-1.  

UNCG’s Merle Greulich was in the right place at the right time after the start of the second half ripping a shot off the post and into the net to tie the game at 2-2 at 45:17. The Spartans took their first lead of the game at 67:53 when Ava Kiss sent a half volley to the back of the net after a brilliant set up by Mairead Gayer and Greulich for a 3-2 advantage. The Catamounts tied the game at 3-3 at 85:05, sending the game into overtime.

Eight minutes into the first overtime period, DeMarco utilized her speed and left foot to send a strike to the back left corner tallying her third goal of the game. Western Carolina earned the 4-3 overtime win and advances to a SoCon Semifinal game.

BY THE NUMBERS


Ogimoto scored her sixth goal of the season.
Kiss tallied her fourth goal of the season and 11th of her career.
Kiss also notched an assist, earning her second of the season and 10th of her career.
Greulich scored her first goal of the season and fifth of her career.
Gayer registered her second assist of the season and fourth of her career.
Western Carolina had 13 corners kicks, while UNCG had three.
The Catamounts outshot the Spartans, 25-19.
Emma Malone made five saves.

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UNCG concluded the 2025 season 4-12-3 overall and 2-4-3 in SoCon play. Taylor Mentzer and Ogimoto earned SoCon All-Conference Second Team honors.