SALISBURY, N.C. — The 18th-ranked, top-seeded Catawba College women's soccer team refused to allow the events of Nov. 9, 2024, to happen twice, exorcising its demons with a 2-0 blanking of No. 8 seed Anderson in the opening round of the South Atlantic Conference Championship on Saturday.
Three of the previous four meetings between Catawba (12-4-2) and Anderson (6-8-2) failed to reach a result in regulation. This season's first matchup was a draw forced late by the Trojans and last year's SAC title game was won by Catawba in overtime. In 2024, Anderson stunned the Catawba Indians with a golden-goal upset at Frock Field in conference tournament quarterfinals; in the same situation this time around, Catawba handled its business with a shutout.
Bree Ehmer netted the first goal and was credited with an assist on the second. Cadence Setzer converted Catawba's second score that occurred with 14 seconds to go. Ali Skinner earned an assist on a chip to Ehmer on the initial strike. Fittingly, Ehmer and Setzer led the way with four shots each; those two plus Kennedy McGuire had multiple on-target attempts at two apiece. Lauren Zitt pocketed two saves to seal her sixth clean sheet of the year.
The Catawba Indians led 6-5 in shots at halftime, then broke away from the Trojans in the second half for a final differential of 22-9. Shots on goal tipped strongly in favor of Catawba at 6-2. The blue and white earned seven corner kick opportunities while giving up just one. Catawba was pegged for 12 fouls against the Trojans' four, but Anderson was shown both a yellow and a straight red card.
Ehmer fired the match's initial shot on goal to force a save and a corner kick three minutes in. With the ball bouncing around in the box, Skinner chipped a pass over the defense to Ehmer on the doorstep where she headed in the go-ahead strike. AU added its first shot on goal in the 21st minute, then another in the 30th; Zitt had no issue stopping either. The squads subbed a combined 11 times late in the half as the score remained stagnant at 1-0 at the break.
Catawba made life uncomfortable for the Trojans coming out of halftime, ripping six shots around two corner kicks within the first nine minutes. In the 56th minute, Ehmer was pulled down by her ponytail which called for a straight red against AU. Down to 10 players, the Trojans faced three more darts and a corner before picking up a caution in the 61st minute. McGuire and Setzer placed attempts on frame in an insurance-seeking effort. The blue and white eventually got it on a breakaway inside the final minute when Ehmer slipped a feed to Setzer, who gathered and scored to finalize a 2-0 playoff triumph.
The Catawba Indians advance to the SAC semifinals on Friday, Nov. 6, taking on No. 4 seed Wingate at the Sportsplex at Matthews. Kickoff is scheduled for 5 p.m.
