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Men's Soccer WIU Athletic Communications

Leathernecks Set for Saturday, Monday Double Feature at Home

Western continues conference play on Saturday (Oct. 11) against Omaha, and hosts Loras College Monday (Oct. 13).

MACOMB, Ill. - Western Illinois men's soccer looks to continue Summit League play this Saturday (Oct. 11) as it hosts the Omaha Mavericks at 1 p.m. in Macomb, Ill. Following Saturday's match the Leathernecks are slated to host Loras College of Dubuque, Iowa on Monday (Oct. 13) at 3:30 p.m. Western enters Saturday's match with a record of 6-4-1 (1-0) and riding a season high four-game win streak.

MATCH LOGISTICS

WHO: Western Illinois vs. Omaha
WHEN: Saturday, October 11 at 1 p.m. (CT)
WHERE: John MacKenzie Alumni Field

WHO: Western Illinois vs. Loras College
WHEN: Monday, October 13 at 3:30 p.m.
WHERE: John MacKenzie Alumni Field

LIVE STATS: HERE
SOCIAL MEDIA: @WIUMensSoccer

GAME NOTES:
 
SCOUTING THE MAVERICKS: Omaha comes into Macomb with an overall record of 4-3-2 (1-0-1) following a double overtime 0-0 tie on the road against Summit League rival Oral Roberts on Saturday (Oct. 4)... The Mavericks are led by fourth-year head coach Jason Mims... Mims holds a career and school record of 12-30-3 as Omaha competes in its final season of transition to NCAA Division I... The leading scorer for Omaha is senior forward Vance Rookwood who has notched five goals on just 13 shots in 2014... Sophomore midfielder Mark Moulton serves as the Maverick's assist specialist, tallying five through nine games... On defense, freshman goalkeeper Joseph Ghitis has taken over the starting job from redshirt junior Josh Christensen... In five games of work, Ghitis has only allowed three goals and enters Saturday's match with an active shutout streak of 200:58 minutes.

A LOOK AT LORAS: The Duhawks (a combination of Dubuque and Hawk) are an NCAA Division III team that competes in the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) and currently boast an overall record of 10-1-1 (3-0)... Before coming to Macomb on Monday (Oct. 13) Loras faces off against IIAC foe Simpson College on Saturday (Oct. 11)... The head coach for the Dubuque team is 17th year skipper Dan Rothert... Rothert oversees both the men's and women's programs at Loras and entered the 2014 season with a combined career record of 503-167-42... Senior midfielder Mike Pizzello and junior midfielder Jorge Simon have combined for 15 goals on an offense that has outscored its opponents 34-13 in 2014... The goalkeeping duties are split by senior Sean Elvert and sophomore Adam Roloff who have combined for 26 saves and four shutouts.

LAST TIME OUT: Western Illinois (6-4-1 (1-0)) enters the weekend riding a season high four-game win streak after defeating Milwaukee, 2-0, on Tuesday (Oct. 7)... The Leatherneck win was highlighted by a Charlie Bales penalty kick in the 70th minute, and a Jacob Bevan header set up by Mario Alvarez and Austin Gochneaur with less than one minute remaining... Western outshot the Panthers 17-14 while placing a season high nine shots on goal... WIU's current win streak matches the program's longest run since 2008 when the Purple and Gold won six in a row.  

SERIES HISTORY: Saturday's game is only the third all-time meeting between the Leathernecks and the Mavericks with Western trailing in the series 0-1-1... The two teams last played on September 28, 2013 in Nebraska, a match that Omaha won 2-1. Monday's matchup marks the first time in program history that Western and Loras have played each other... Loras comes in to Macomb on a three game win streak of their own, looking for a return trip to the NCAA Division III Tournament... The Duhawks advanced to the semifinals in 2013 before falling to Rutgers-Camden 3-2 in San Antonio, Texas.

STUDENT VS. MASTER: On Monday, Leatherneck head coach Dr. Eric Johnson will join Loras head coach Dan Rothert on the game pitch for the first time since Johnson coached Rothert at Loras College ('92-'95)... Coach Johnson led the Duhawks from 1991-1996 before joining Western in 1997... In 1996, Dr. Johnson was named Iowa Intercollegiate Coference 'Coach of the Year', an award that Rothert has garnered a total of 13 times (men and women) through 16 seasons.

IT'S THE GOALIE: Goalkeeper Yves Dietrich has recorded 56 saves in 2014 which ranks 5th in the country as of October 9... The senior notched his fourth consecutive shutout and fifth overall in 2014 against Milwaukee on October 7... The shutout gives Dietrich 12 in his career and moves him into sole possession of fourth on Western's all-time list... The senior currently leads or is tied for first amongst Summit League goalkeepers in games played (11), games started (11), minutes played (1026:18), saves (56), and shutouts (5)... Dietrich currently holds seven top 10 rankings in Western's record book. 

BALES AMONG NATIONAL LEADERS: Since starting the season with only four shots in three games, Leatherneck defender Charlie Bales has exploded for 11 shots and four goals over the last three games including his first career multi-goal game against Northern Kentucky, scoring two goals on two penalty kicks... Bales' five goals rank him 46th in the nation and his three gamewinners tie him for 11th in the country as of October 9... Bales currently holds five top 10 rankings on Western's career lists... The senior captain is also in the nation's top 30 for the men's soccer Senior CLASS Award which honors accomplishments on and off the field for one NCAA Division I senior. 
 

 
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Players Mentioned

Yves Dietrich

#1 Yves Dietrich

GK
6' 1"
Senior
UW-Whitewater
Austin Gochneaur

#4 Austin Gochneaur

F
6' 3"
Junior
Ankeny
Mario Alvarez

#10 Mario Alvarez

MF
5' 10"
Senior
Aurora West
Charlie Bales

#2 Charlie Bales

D
5' 8"
Senior
Xavier
Jacob Bevan

#14 Jacob Bevan

F
6' 2"
Sophomore
Oak Park River Forest

Players Mentioned

Yves Dietrich

#1 Yves Dietrich

6' 1"
Senior
UW-Whitewater
GK
Austin Gochneaur

#4 Austin Gochneaur

6' 3"
Junior
Ankeny
F
Mario Alvarez

#10 Mario Alvarez

5' 10"
Senior
Aurora West
MF
Charlie Bales

#2 Charlie Bales

5' 8"
Senior
Xavier
D
Jacob Bevan

#14 Jacob Bevan

6' 2"
Sophomore
Oak Park River Forest
F