PREVIEW: #17 Women’s Soccer set for rematch with #2 CSU in NCAA Second Round

Columbus, Ga. —- The 17th-ranked and fourth-seed Catawba College women's soccer team prepares for a Round of 32 matchup for the third straight season, facing second-ranked and top-seed host Columbus State on the road Sunday afternoon.

THE MATCHUP

- Who: (4) #17 Catawba (11-2-5, 8-0-3 SAC) at (1) #2 Columbus State (20-0-1, 9-0-0 PBC)

- Where: Walden Soccer Complex, Columbus, Ga.

- When: Sunday, Nov. 24, 3 p.m.

- How to Follow: Peach Belt Sports Network | Live stats

THE HISTORY

- Columbus State leads all-time series 5-2-1

- The Cougars have won all five matchups in Columbus

- Second NCAA Tournament matchup; CSU won 2-0 in the Second Round in 2008

- Catawba is 8-8-2 all-time in the NCAA Tournament; the Catawba Indians have never advanced in penalty kicks in the NCAA Tournament

TOURNEY TREE

- Bree Ehmer scored her fourth career goal in NCAA Tournament play in just four career games for the sophomore

- The Melbourne, Fla. native scored twice in the thrilling Second Round win over North Georgia last season

- Her game-winner over Flagler was the second in her NCAA Tourney career, following the overtime winner over UNG

ELITE COMPANY

- Catawba has advanced to the Round of 32 for the third straight season

- The Catawba Indians are one of just eight teams in the country to win a game in the NCAA Tournament in each of the last three seasons (Central Missouri, Columbus State, Gannon, Grand Valley State, Kutztown, Maryville, Point Loma)

- Catawba is the lone remaining SAC program in the NCAA Tournament; the three other remaining teams in the Southeast Regional are from the Peach Belt

LAST MEETING

- This is Catawba's second game facing the Cougars on the road, as they fell 3-2 in Columbus on Oct. 9

- Two Ehmer goals had the Catawba Indians leading 2-1 with 35 minutes remaining

- The Cougars struck for the equalizer 10 minutes later and the 83rd-minute winner from Sarah Hungerford

- Catawba won a wild 6-5 meeting at Frock Field during the teams' lone meeting in 2023

SCOUTING THE COUGARS

- CSU boasts the top scoring offense in the country with 4.38 goals per game, totaling 92 scores for the season

- The Cougars' lone blemish of the season came in a road draw vs. Lenoir-Rhyne back in September

- CSU won its 10th Peach Belt Tournament title in last week's 1-0 victory over Flagler, scoring the winner in the 90th minute

- Vanessa Aviles was named the PBC Tournament MVP

- The leading offense in the country is a well-balanced one, as three players have double-digit goals on the season and seven Cougars have recorded seven scores or more