MACOMB, Ill. – The Western Illinois women's soccer will open Summit League play with two home matches this weekend.
The Fighting Leathernecks (4-3-3, 0-0 Summit) will play host to UMKC (1-8-0, 0-0) at 3 p.m. on Friday before facing Southern Utah (3-4-1, 0-0) at noon on Sunday,
Western picked up a 1-0 victory over Northern Iowa on Wednesday in its final non-conference match of the season. The Kangaroos enter Friday's tilt on a three-match losing streak while the Thunderbirds will open league play at IUPUI on Friday before traveling to Macomb.
Series: Western Illinois leads 1-0
Head Coach: Anita Rodriguez
Alma Mater, Year: Marywood, '95
School record: 2-25-1 (2nd season)
Career record: 15-50-2 (4th season)
2010 record: 3-4-1
Series: Western trails 2-5-1
Last: Oct. 8, 2009: Teams tied 1-1 in Cedar City
Head Coach: Brian Stock
Alma Mater: Akron, '95
School record: 42-107-18 (10th season)
Career record: Same
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Nick Ficarrotta, color analyst
Extending the Streak
The Leathernecks will look to continue their winning streak in regular-season Summit League matches when they open league play this weekend. Western won four-straight matches in league play to end the 2009 season and earned the No. 4 seed in The Summit League Tournament.
Western Illinois will also look to continue their success this season as they look to build of a five-match unbeaten streak in 2010 and will look to defend home field once again. The Leathernecks have not lost a home match since Oct. 8, 2009, a stretch of six matches. Western holds am 18-7-4 record in home matches under head coach Tony Guinn.
Atkinson Moves Up
Leatherneck goalkeeper Laura Atkinson picked up the eighth win and fourth shutout of her career against Northern Iowa on Wednesday. The sophomore currently ranks third in Leatherneck history in wins and is ranked fourth in career shutouts.
Atkinson led the Summit League with a .867 save percentage entering the week and improved her mark to .880 by making five stops against the Panthers.
Lockdown Defense
Western Illinois has used its stellar defense to its advantage this season. The Leathernecks entered the week ranked second in the league by allowing an average of just 0.91 goals per game.
The team was also ranked third in the league in saves and second in shutouts entering the week. The Leatherneck defense features two fifth-year seniors in Jenny Green and Caitlin Barrett along with junior Laura Lins. Both Green and goalkeeper Laura Atkinson were All-League selections a year ago.
