MACOMB, Ill. - Western Illinois men's soccer is headed to High Point, North Carolina for a weekend faceoff with the Big South Conference at the High Point Plaza Classic with games against Radford on Friday (Sept. 12) and host, High Point on Sunday (Sept. 14). Head coach Dr. Eric Johnson and the Leathernecks enter the weekend looking to end a two game losing streak after dropping a set of games to Green Bay and No. 8 (now No. 2) Creighton.
 

MATCH LOGISTICS

Friday, September 12
WHO: Western Illinois vs. Radford
WHEN: Friday, September 12 at 3 p.m. (CT)
WHERE: Vert Stadium in High Point, N.C.
LIVE STATS: HERE
SOCIAL MEDIA: @WIUMensSoccer

Sunday, September 14
WHO: Western Illinois at High Point
WHEN: Sunday, September 14 at 2 p.m. (CT)
WHERE: Vert Stadium in High Point, N.C.
LIVE STATS: HERE
VIDEO STREAMING: HERE
SOCIAL MEDIA: @WIUMensSoccer

 

WEEKEND NOTES:
SCOUTING THE HIGHLANDERS: Radford comes into the weekend with an overall record of 1-2. The Highlanders losses came in the form of a 1-0 defeat against Clemson and a 2-1 contest against Charlotte. Radford earned its first victory of the season last Saturday (Sept. 6) against East Tennessee State by a score of 1-0. The Highlanders are led by fifth year head coach Marc Reeves (36-32-13) who has led the Radford men to three consecutive winning seasons. On offense the Highlanders are lead by returners Chel Ho Park Kim and Jamie Summers. Kim was injured for most of 2013 but led the team with 15 points (5 goals, 5 assists) in 2012, and has already notched one assist in the win over East Tennessee. Summers returns as the leading goal scorer from 2013 and has continued his success this year with the gamewinner over East Tennessee. In goal, Radford starts redshirt freshman Aitor Pouseu Blanco who has played all 270 minutes, notched nine saves and one shutout for the Highlanders. Following Radford's Friday matchup with Western they will face Incarnate Word on Sunday (Sept. 14).

A LOOK AT HIGH POINT: The Panthers enter their home tournament with a record of 1-1-1. High Point opened the 2014 season at home with a 0-2 loss to UNC Wilmington. The Panthers then traveled to Dayton, Ohio for the Dayton Flyers Classic where they won 2-1 over Dayton and tied Northern Kentucky, 1-1, in double overtime. High Point's coached by eighth year head coach Dustin Fonder who has a career record of 68-55-16 with the Panthers. Fonder's front line is anchored by senior Mamadee Nyepon, who scored 24 goals over the last two seasons and has already notched two more in 2014. Nyepon is now just three goals from becoming High Point's Division I all-time leading scorer. The Panthers' defense is lead by 2013 second-team All-Big South goalkeeper Kody Palmer. Palmer is a redshirt junior  who has posted nine saves and no shutouts in 2014. The hosting Panthers open the tournament on Friday (Sept. 12) against Incarnate Word before facing off against the Leathernecks on Sunday (Sept. 14). 

SERIES HISTORY: This weekend will mark Western's second all-time meeting with both Radford and High Point. The Leathernecks won the series opener against Radford 2-0 on August 30, 2008 and defeated High Point 3-2 on September 13, 2009.  

LAST TIME OUT: The Purple and Gold come into the weekend with a 1-3 record after dropping a close 1-0 loss to No. 8 (now No. 2) Creighton last Friday (Sept. 5) and a second 1-0 game to Green Bay on Sunday (Sept. 7)... Against Creighton, Western was outshot 21-3 with senior goalkeeper Yves Dietrich standing strong in net, making eight saves in the game... Against Green Bay, Western outshot the Phoenix 13-12 including four shots from both Charlie Bales and Mario Alvarez, but gave up the lone goal on a counter attack from Green Bay that would prove to be the gamewinner.

SLOW AND STEADY: Five out of head coach Dr. Eric Johnson's six NCAA tournament seasons have started with two or more losses in the first four games... three out of the six have started with three or more losses... all except one NCAA tournament season has started with a losing record. 

IT'S THE GOALIE: Goalkeeper Yves Dietrich (Floeha, Germany) has recorded 22 saves in 2014 which ranks him seventh in the country in that category... Dietrich is also ranked 25th nationally in saves per game... The senior notched his first shutout of 2014 against San Jose State on Aug. 31... The shutout gives Dietrich eight in his career and moves him into a tie for sixth on Western's all-time list...The senior's eight saves against Creighton moved him into sole possesion of seventh place for career saves... Dietrich is also in WIU's top-10 for career saves per game (10th), career goals against average (5th), save percentage (5th), minutes in goal (5th), and wins (8th).