Leathernecks look for success at Northern Kentucky

Men's soccer heads to Highland Heights, Ky. to take on the Norse on Sunday (Sept. 28)

MACOMB, Ill. - Head coach Dr. Eric Johnson leads the Leatherneck soccer team into Highland Heights, Kentucky this weekend for a matchup against the Northern Kentucky Norse on Sunday, September 28 at noon (CT). Western looks for its fourth win of the season to match the program's best start since 2011 when the Purple and Gold earned The Summit League Conference Tournament title and a NCAA Tournament berth.

MATCH LOGISTICS

WHO: Western Illinois at Northern Kentucky
WHEN: Sunday, September 28 at noon (CT)
WHERE: NKU Soccer Stadium, Highland Heights, Ky.
LIVE STATS: HERE
SOCIAL MEDIA: @WIUMensSoccer

GAME NOTES:

A LOOK AT NORTHERN KENTUCKY: The Norse enter this weekend with an overall record of 2-2-3... They are led by 12th year head coach John Basalyga who boasts a career coaching record of 146-58-26... Most recently the Norse earned a 4-3 overtime win against a Wright State team that had previously only lost to no. 27 San Diego State... Senior midfielder Clan McDonald leads the Northern Kentucky offense with three goals and two assists (eight points) on the season, including two goals in the overtime match against Wright State... Junior goalkeeper A.J. Fleak anchors a defense that gives up just 1.29 goals per game... Fleak leads the A-Sun conference with 32 saves and has notched one shutout in 2014... Northern Kentucky soccer transitioned to NCAA Division I in 2012 and are thus ineligible for post-season play in 2014 as part of the transition process... The Norse will travel to Kalamazoo, Michigan on Friday (Sept. 26) to take on the Broncos of Western Michigan before returning home to host the Leathernecks on Sunday (Sept. 28).

SERIES HISTORY: This weekend marks Western's 2nd all-time meeting with NKU in program history... The Leathernecks hosted the Norse in NKU's first division I season in 2012 at John MacKenzie Alumni Field... Northern Kentucky took the match by a score of 1-0 and the series lead.

LAST TIME OUT: Western Illinois comes into the weekend with an overall record of 3-4-1 following a decisive 3-0 home victory over Western Michigan last Sunday (Sept. 21)... Three goals in the first half highlighted the Leatherneck victory with two of the tallies coming off of the foot of senior midfielder Mario Alvarez... The four point game marks Alvarez's his first points of the season... Junior forward Austin Gochneaur also recorded his first points of the season with the opening goal off of a header and an assist to Alvarez... The Purple and Gold failed to score in the second half but came away with the victory and the shutout... Sunday's victory gives WIU two wins in their last three outings and no losses in the last four.

SHARING THE WEALTH: In Western's last four matches, nine Leathernecks have combined for eight goals on seven assists... The nine Leathernecks are made up of three seniors, one junior, three sophomores, and two freshmen.

NATIONALLY RANKED: Goalkeeper Yves Dietrich (Floeha, Germany) has recorded 41 saves in 2014 which ranks him 7th in the country in that category as of September 25... The senior notched his second shutout of 2014 against Western Michigan on Sept. 21...The shutout gives Dietrich nine in his career and moves him into a tie for fifth on Western's all-time list... The senior currently leads or is tied for first amongst Summit League goalkeepers in games played (8), games started (8), minutes played (756:18), saves (41), and shutouts (2)... Dietrich currently holds seven top 10 rankings in Western's record book.

DEFENSE IS THE BEST OFFENSE: Since starting the season with only four shots in three games, Leatherneck defender Charlie Bales has exploded for eleven shots over the last five games including his first points of the season against Radford with one goal and one assist... Bales currently holds four 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.

SLOW AND STEADY WINS THE SUMMIT: Dr. Eric Johnson has led the Purple and Gold to six NCAA tournaments and Summit League Tournament Championships... Western's three wins through their first eight games in 2014 matches the programs best start since 2008 when the Leathernecks started 6-1-1... WIU's 2008 start resulted in a first round Summit League tournament loss to Kansas City... A 3-4-1 start in 2011 and a 2-4-2 start in 2012 led to back-to-back Summit League tournament championships and NCAA tournament berths... The Leathernecks have never held a record above .500 through eight games in all six championship campaigns.

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Players Mentioned

#1 Yves Dietrich: GK; 6' 1"; Senior; UW-Whitewater

#4 Austin Gochneaur: F; 6' 3"; Junior; Ankeny

#10 Mario Alvarez: MF; 5' 10"; Senior; Aurora West

#2 Charlie Bales: D; 5' 8"; Senior; Xavier

Players Mentioned

#1 Yves Dietrich
: 6' 1"; Senior; UW-Whitewater
: GK

#4 Austin Gochneaur
: 6' 3"; Junior; Ankeny
: F

#10 Mario Alvarez
: 5' 10"; Senior; Aurora West
: MF

#2 Charlie Bales
: 5' 8"; Senior; Xavier
: D