MT. PLEASANT, S.C. - The College of Charleston took down Western Carolina with a 3-2 decision in Southern Conference action on Sunday afternoon at Patriots Point.

The win improves CofC to 6-4-0 (2-0-0 SoCon) and WCU falls to 6-3-1 (1-1-0 SoCon) on the year.

CofC jumped on the Catamounts early and took a three-goal lead into the locker room. WCU would take two back in the second half but the Cougars held on to preserve the win and remain without a blemish in the SoCon.

"It was a typical Sunday Southern Conference match," said head coach Christian Michner. "Fatigue generally sets in a bit quicker after going 90 minutes on Friday night and then again on Sunday. I think our girls came out prepared and from the opening whistle made a statement to Western which said we were ready to go. 

"As the match wore on and we got up to three goals I think we might have gone on cruise control a little bit and let them back into the match but were happy to preserve the win."

The Cougars struck right away with a goal just 29 seconds into the match. Sarah Schaidle (Simpsonville, S.C.) slipped a pass to Maryam Buazza (Katy, Texas) and charged into the box off the ball before Buazza one-touched it back to her and Schaidle scored to the top-left corner of the goal.

The teams were silent for the next 30 minutes of game clock until the Cougars added a second mark in the 33rd minute. Allison Truitt (Greenville, S.C.) sent a long ball up from the back line where Francesca Kentimenos (Stony Point, N.Y.) ran it down just before it crossed the Catamounts' endline. Kentimenos made one dribble back from the line and fired a shot from an almost-zero angle which ricocheted off the far post and into the back of the net.

In the 44th minute, the Cougars replicated that effort with Haley Hutchens (Irmo, S.C.) sending a long ball up to Megan Hilbert (Apex, N.C.) who scored from the same spot Kentimenos did moments earlier.

The Catmounts got their first shot on goal in the final minute of the first half but CofC keeper Taylor Avery (Clifton, Va.) wasn't troubled by the effort.

Rain started to fall at halftime and the Catamounts got on the board early in the second period with a 49th minute mark for Laura Greb who was set up by Caitlyn Bradham on the play.

The rain seemed to benefit Western Carolina who spent the majority of the second half pinning the Cougars in their own defensive third of the field. A quality chance was denied in the 74th minute when Kayla Beauduy got freed up in front of the goal but Avery thwarted her shot and rebound effort with a pair of fine saves.

WCU would get one more goal, however, on a penalty kick taken by Samantha Hodge in the 78th minute.

The Cougars continue SoCon play next weekend with a long road trip to play matches at Samford and Chattanooga. The Samford contest is on Friday, Sept. 30 at 7 p.m. and the Chattanooga match will be on Sunday, Oct. 2 at 2 p.m.