MACOMB, Ill. – The Western Illinois women's soccer team is set to return home when it plays host to the Green Bay Phoenix at 4 p.m. on Thursday.
The Fighting Leathernecks (2-3-2) are coming off of their best offensive performance of the season after picking up a 4-1 victory over St. Ambrose on Sunday. Western got a boost from two freshmen as Amber Davis and Taylor Henning each netted their first goal. Davis also picked up an assist on Jill Kevorkian's first goal of the season and Laura Lins recorded her first points of the year by converting a penalty kick.
The Phoenix (2-2-2) enter Thursday's matchup after falling to South Dakota State by a 1-0 score on Sunday. The loss snapped a three-match unbeaten streak for Green Bay. The two teams have not faced each other since a match at John Mackenzie Alumni Field during the 2007 season.
Series: Western trails 3-4-0
Last: Sept. 2, 2007: Western Illinois won 3-0 in Macomb
Head
Coach: Trevor Warren
Alma
Mater, Year: Newcastle (England), '78
School
record: 11-20-9 (3rd season)
Career
record: 105-40-9 (8th season)
Danielle Gagnon, play-by-play
Offense Picks it Up
After struggling to find the back of the net early in the season, the Leatherneck offense came to life in a 4-1 victory over St. Ambrose on Sunday. Jill Kevorkian scored her second goal of the season against the Queen Bees. The senior has scored three goals in Western's last two meetings with St. Ambrose.
Amber Davis and Taylor Henning each netted their first career goals and Davis picked up the assist on Kevorkian's eventual game-winner. Laura Lins converted a penalty kick early in the match to give the Leathernecks a 1-0 lead.
Atkinson Shuts Down Cougars
Leatherneck goalkeeper Laura Atkinson was key in shutting down SIU-Edwardsville last week. The sophomore made 12 saves in a scoreless draw, ending the Cougars' four-match winning streak. The 12 saves tied the second-best performance of Atkinson's career and helped shut out the Cougars for the first time since Oct. of 2009. SIU-Edwardsville had scored in five consecutive regular-season matches before last Friday.
Home Sweet Home
Western Illinois will host two-straight matches for the first time this season when Green Bay and Eastern Illinois come calling over the weekend. The Leathernecks have played five of their first seven matches on the road this season.
Western is 17-6-4 in home matches under head coach Tony Guinn. The Leathernecks have not lost at home since a 2-1 loss to North Dakota State on Oct. 18, 2009.
