WCU scores their second goal against Chattanooga Mocks. Photo by Kayden Buchanan
The Cats beat their rival the Mocs, Friday night, Oct.23, on home turf, 2-0, with a strong comeback in the second half.
The game kicked off at 7 p.m. with Chattanooga in possession. WCU almost immediately took the ball, but after that they lagged behind. The Cats took a long time to get into the game, according to Assistant Head Coach, Todd Herman, and so Chattanooga dominated in possession in the first half.
Thanks to the efforts of a strong defense line and the goalie, Lauren Martin, Chattanooga wasn’t able to score. One player’s mother commented during half time they should have been playing down the middle of the field and then used Kelly Pannell’s speed to get around the defense.
After half time, WCU made a strategic move to shift their formation from two forwards to three to combat Chattanooga’s defensive line. This change allowed for Kimberly Sullivan to score the first goal of the game which was followed 3 minutes later by another. The game was “well played and well called,” said one fan as she was leaving.
The entire second half didn’t go in WCU’s favor though. Mid-fielder Sayres McKenna received a red card from the referee, benching her for the rest of the game and suspending her from the game on Oct. 25. McKenna fouled a Chattanooga player after the referee missed the foul on McKenna moments before. Many fans that didn’t see the original foul thought the red card was harsh, but Herman says it was a fair call, if not border-line between a yellow and a red card.
Tonight’s win means WCU will likely play the first round of the playoffs next week at home. The red card on McKenna will not affect the line up next week. However, since it is the end of the season, a lot of players have bumps and bruises that might affect it.
The next game is a home game Sunday, Oct 25, at 2 p.m. against Samford.
