CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Western Carolina women’s soccer (0-2) was edged by Charlotte (2-0) 1-0 Friday at Transamerica Field.

 

Both teams were plagued with near miss chances, but it was Charlotte who got the fortuitous look at the 15:57 mark in the first half. The 49ers Carrie Dail sent a cross back to the top of the six-yard box, locating a wide-open Sarah Trexler, who redirected the pass into the open net behind Catamount keeper Katie Jacobs.

 

Trexler’s goal was sandwiched around numerous golden opportunities afforded Western Carolina in the first half. A pair of shots high from Kimberly Sullivan and Lindsay Carter preceded the Charlotte goal and Carter’s shot was a hair’s breath of going in before it went sailing wide right.

 

Western Carolina kept the pressure on in the first half but just couldn’t seem to get the good looks near the goal to fall its way. In a two minute span, with less then nine minutes left in the first half, Christine Kaznowski attacked the goal, with one shot going wide and the other one blocked. With less then two minutes left in the half, the Catamounts continued to look for a goal as freshman Kelly Pannell took a shot that was saved by 49ers goalie Alex Kubrick.

 

There were just eight shots taken, in total, by both teams in the second half as each side buckled down defensively. Western Carolina had two of the shots, but what shots they were.

 

The white knuckle, nail-biting moment, came at the 70:56 minute mark in the second half. Charlotte fans and players were put on their heels when Western Carolina arguably had its biggest scoring, and golden moment, opportunity of the game to score. It all started when the 49ers were called for a foul giving the Catamounts a free kick.

 

The ball was kicked about 20 yards out and sailed into a foray of Western Carolina and Charlotte players. There was a fight for the ball near the front of the goal and redshirt freshman, for the Catamounts, Sullivan eyed the goal, looking to push the ball past goalie Kubrick. A passel of 49ers swarmed around the goal, and the ball, causing the ball to miss its mark and earning a team save.

 

It was the closest Western Carolina would get to the goal the rest of the game.

 

Western Carolina’s defense, sans the lone goal, was hard nosed and stymied. The offense for the Catamounts got great looks but the ball just didn’t fall in their favor.

 

It was the first shutout handed the Catamounts in the very youthful season. Western Carolina scored a goal in it’s season opening, 2-1 loss, to West Virginia and also scored a goal in its exhibition loss to Clemson.

 

Overall, Charlotte ended the game with 13 shots and Western Carolina had eight. Goalie Jacobs, for the Catamounts, racked up seven saves, four in the second half.

 

Western Carolina will continue its weekend road swing on Sunday when the Catamounts travel to Winthrop. The match is scheduled for 2 p.m.