Women's Soccer Closes Out Regular Season With Tournament Hopes on the Line

The Leathernecks play host to Omaha and South Dakota during the final weekend of the 2014 regular season.

MACOMB, Ill. - The final weekend of the 2014 regular season will serve two purposes for Western Illinois women's soccer. The Fighting Leathernecks remain in the thick of the Summit League Tournament race as three schools (Western, IUPUI and South Dakota) fight for the final sport in this year's tournament.Trailing IUPUI and South Dakota by two points and one point respectively, the Leathernecks could potentially find themselves in as high as second place if other results go in favor of the Purple and Gold.

Sunday's (Nov. 2) contest also serves as the final home game for five Leatherneck seniors. Amy Bennett, Lindsay Condon, Sarah Hall, Tiara Herron and Sarah Wright will take the field in Macomb for one final match in hopes of extending their careers for at least one more game.

FOLLOW THE ACTION:
Friday, October 31
Omaha at Western Illinois
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Sunday, November 2
South Dakota at Western Illinois
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MATCH NOTES:

A LOOK AT THE MAVERICKS: Omaha had its run of an unbeaten season end with a 2-1 loss in double-overtime to Oral Roberts on Sunday (Oct. 26)... The Mavericks enter Friday's contest 5-10-2 overall and 3-1-2 in The Summit League... Omaha currently occupies third position in the league standings but is ineligible for post season play as it finishes transitioning to Division I... The Mavericks have scored 23 goals this season, third-most in The Summit League... Chelsi Rohloff leads the league with 10 goals and is also tied for fourth with four assists... Western will also have to keep an eye on Anna Sibson, who has four goals and three assists for the Mavericks this season... Defensively, Omaha has allowed 29 goals, third-most in the league entering the final weekend... Three goalkeepers have earned starts this season for Omaha... Haley Shelton has allowed 23 goals in 14 starts but has kept three clean sheets... Katlyn Shochenmaier has made two starts while Meaghan Clark has made one... Don Klosterman is in his 16th season at Omaha and has recorded 209 wins in charge of the Mavericks.

SERIES HISTORY: After dropping the first-ever meeting in 2011, Western Illinois has outscored Omaha 4-0 in its two victories since then... Western leads the all-time series 2-1 after picking up victories in 2012 (1-0) and 2013 (3-0)... Tyra Markey is the lone returner for Western to have scored against Omaha.

A LOOK AT THE COYOTES: South Dakota will play IUPUI on Friday (Oct. 31) before ending the regular season on Sunday (Nov. 2) against the Leathernecks... The Coyotes are 2-2-2 in The Summit League and lead the league in goals scored (38)... The Coyotes also allow the second-fewest goals allowed in the league, having conceded only 17 in 2014... Taylor Nivala is third with eight goals scored while fellow 'Yotes Corey Strang (5 goals) and Danielle Anderson (4 goals) are also in the 'Top 10'... Mackenzie Viktor has allowed 17 goals in 17 games with four shutouts... Mandy Green is in her fifth year as head coach of the Coyotes.

SERIES HISTORY: Western Illinois has only one victory over South Dakota... The lone win came in Macomb in 2012, a 2-0 victory... Western Illinois lost 3-0 last season in Vermillion... The Leathernecks trail the all-time series 1-3-1.

LAST TIME OUT: Western went 1-1 in contests against Oral Roberts and IUPUI... Sarah Hall scored twice in a 3-2 win over ORU on Friday (Oct. 24)... Hall continued her form with another goal at IUPUI, but the Leathernecks fell 2-1 to IUPUI on Sunday (Oct. 26).

SENIOR SENDOFF: Five Leathernecks will play their final match at John MacKenzie Alumni Field on Sunday (Nov. 2)... Amy Bennett, Lindsay Condon, Sarah Hall, Tiara Herron and Sarah Wright will al be honored prior to Sunday's match against South Dakota.

IN THE HUNT: Western Illinois is currently seventh in the league standings with only two matches left in the regular season... With Omaha ineligible for postseason play, Western trails IUPUI in the standings by two points and South Dakota by one point...The Leathernecks would need IUPUI to lose to either South Dakota or Omaha this weekend to jump over the Jaguars in the standings... Western would also need at least four points from the remaining two matches.

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Players Mentioned

#5 Tyra Markey: F; 5' 7"; Sophomore; Garfield

#23 Tiara Herron: F; 5' 9"; Senior; Washington Park

#26 Amy Bennett: M; 5' 5"; Senior; Catholic Memorial

#22 Lindsay Condon: D; 5' 5"; Senior; Joliet Catholic

#18 Sarah Hall: F; 5' 10"; Senior; St. Joseph's

#12 Sarah Wright: M; 5' 4"; Senior; Rochester

Players Mentioned

#5 Tyra Markey
: 5' 7"; Sophomore; Garfield
: F

#23 Tiara Herron
: 5' 9"; Senior; Washington Park
: F

#26 Amy Bennett
: 5' 5"; Senior; Catholic Memorial
: M

#22 Lindsay Condon
: 5' 5"; Senior; Joliet Catholic
: D

#18 Sarah Hall
: 5' 10"; Senior; St. Joseph's
: F

#12 Sarah Wright
: 5' 4"; Senior; Rochester
: M