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 30^th 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 34^th 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 11^th 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.