GREENVILLE, SC - Sometimes the unlikeliest of things happen.
Sometimes the ugly kid in school becomes the nicest person in the world and marries the homecoming queen because he knows exactly what to say and understands what life is really all about.
Sometimes things go just the way you planned.
On Sunday, Nov. 6 that is what happened for the women’s soccer team of Western Carolina.
Nobody ? except those with an allegiance or a vested interest in Western Carolina ? could have foreseen that Western Carolina coming into the 2005 season had a logistical shot of winning the Southern Conference tournament championship.
The Cats knew though.
In fact, the team’s trainer when speaking to someone in the athletic office prior to the commencement of the 2005 season seemed to have an idea that something special was going to happen in 2005 with the women of Cullowhee.
First-year head coach Tammy DeCesare had quite a few obstacles to overcome for this to happen.
Foremost though was getting her players to buy into her philosophies as a coach.
Luckily for DeCesare and Western fans that action took place and the rest is now history.
The Cats, who enjoyed a healthy regular season, finishing with a 15-5 record, came into the 2005 Southern Conference Women’s Soccer Tournament with the No. 4 seed.
The team was hungry and as it was said many times during the weekend by people watching the Catamounts play: you cannot subdue destiny.
Destiny’s darlings started the tournament a little disheartened in their tourney opener against the College of Charleston.
The Cougars placed themselves atop the board first, but Western ? pun necessary ? clawed their way back and earned a 2-1 overtime victory over Charleston.
Heather Dittmer, who would prove to be the player the Cats would turn to when they needed a goal, volleyed in the game-winner at the 97:37 mark of the first overtime.
In the semifinals, the Catamounts proved themselves to the rest of the SoCon with a 2-0 win over Davidson.
The Wildcats had not fallen prey to anyone in the league in 2005, going 9-0-1 in SoCon play, but the Cats found a way against Davidson, usurping the regular season champs with a stout defense and Meghan Reilly’s goal and assist.
On the flip side of the bracket, the Furman Lady Paladins looked primed and ready to take home a championship of their own, advancing easily in round one before earning their way into the championship match with a 1-0 overtime win over UNC Greensboro.
The Cats and Paladins came into the final from two totally different angles.
The Paladins were looking to claim their third league championship in the last four years, while the Cats were looking to pick up their first SoCon crown in the seven-year history of their program.
The Cats were also looking to become the lowest seeded institution in SoCon Soccer history ? men’s or women’s ? to win the tournament. Prior to the championship game, the lowest seeded team to win a SoCon soccer championship was seeded no lower than third.
Behind the grit and intensity of DeCesare and a solid defense consisting of tremendous play from freshman Arlan Whittle and Natasha Moore, the Cats found their much anticipated first league championship.
Once again Dittmer came through with a game-winner, netting a goal on a header in the early stages of the second half to give the Catamounts a 1-0 win and supremacy in women’s soccer in the SoCon in 2005.
Although Dittmer might have been a catalyst for the Cats up front in the tournament, the real star of the weekend was goalkeeper Alesha Row, who made save after spectacular save for Western.
No save was probably more important than her save on Emily Krankowski’s breakaway in the 29th-minute. Krankowski had found her way from midfield to the 18-yard box all alone and only needed to beat Row to give the Paladins a 1-0 lead.
The goal was not to be, as Row made the save of the tournament, exerting her whole body to stop Kranskowski by making a brilliant sprawling, sliding save that proved later on to earn Row her 13th shutout of the 2005 season, extending her own school season record.
Row’s efforts earned her tournament most valuable player honors.
Things all fell into place for the Catamounts on Sunday, Nov. 6.
The shoe size was right, the row was in line for the win and the flag flew atop the hilltop in Stone Stadium.
Now comes the hard part: North Carolina.
Still on a high from their win the day before the Cats learned that their first round opponent would be none other than the 17-time national champion in the NCAA Tournament.
Nevertheless, in the annals of history the 2005 Western Carolina Catamounts will go down as SoCon Champs and for the time being that is all that matters.