MACOMB, Ill. - After a tough non-conference schedule, Western Illinois women's soccer begins the new season as Summit League play begins on Friday (Oct. 3). The Fighting Leathernecks open the conference schedule with North Dakota State on Friday (Oct. 3) and South Dakota State on Sunday (Oct. 5).FOLLOW THE ACTION:Â
Friday, October 3
Western Illinois at North Dakota State
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Sunday, October 5
Western Illinois at South Dakota State
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MATCH NOTES:
A LOOK AT THE BISON: North Dakota State was off last week... The Bison have lost five consecutive matches by a combined total of seven goals... Despite their recent form, the Bison have scored 13 goals while only allowing nine this season... Lauren Miller has scored seven goals this season on 20 shots... Lizzie Lukas has added three goals... Sierra Bonham has started every match in 2014... Bonham has allowed nine goals in 778 minutes while making 37 saves... Mark Cook is in his third year at North Dakota State.
SERIES HISTORY: Western Illinois has a chance to even up the all-time series when the two teams meet for the 11th time... The Leathernecks are 4-5-1 against the Bison all-time... Western ended a five-game losing streak against the Bison with a 1-0 win last season in Macomb.
A LOOK AT THE JACKRABBITS: South Dakota State plays host to IUPUI on Friday (Oct. 4) as Summit League play begins... The Jackrabbits are currently 4-5-0 after winning four of their last six matches... SDSU has conceded 17 goals while scoring 14 in 2014... Shelby Raper has scored four goals and has added two assists... Diana Potterveld has found the back of the net three times but has contributed four assists this season... Elisa Stamatakis has earned five starts, allowing eight goals in 429 minutes... Nicole Inskeep has made three starts in goal, allowing nine goals in 290 minutes... Lang Wedemeyer is now in his 15th year as the head coach of the Jackrabbits.
SERIES HISTORY: The Leathernecks look for their first victory in Brookings, South Dakota... Western is 1-7-1 against SDSU all-time... Â The lone victory against the Jackrabbits came in 2007, a 1-0 victory in Macomb.
LAST TIME OUT: Western Illinois was defeated by Northern Iowa 2-0 due to a pair of second half goals despite forcing Whitney Blunt to make 11 saves.
NON-CONFERENCE SCHEDULE: Every opponent the Leathernecks faced in the first two months of the season currently has four or more victories... The Leathernecks' schedule featured Kent State (6-3-1), Creighton (8-3) and Green Bay (6-3-2)... Among the opponents, six ranked in the top-20 in the nation in one or more statistical categories as a team or had individuals ranked... Drake's goalkeeper was also ranked 21st at the end of conference play for Western, which would have made seven opponents with a top-20 national ranking.
CONFERENCE OPENERS: Since 1999, the Leathernecks are 4-11 in conference openers... Western Illinois has split the previous four openers and lost consecutive conference-opening matches in 2008 and 2009... Western lost to South Dakota State (0-1) to open Summit League play last season.
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