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Western Illinois University Athletics

Team
2
Loras LORM (4-2-1)
5
Winner Western Illinois WIU (2-5-1)
Loras LORM
(4-2-1)
2
Final
5
Western Illinois WIU
(2-5-1)
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Loras LORM 2 0 2
Western Illinois WIU 3 2 5

Game Recap: Men's Soccer | | WIU Athletic Communications

Men's Soccer Claims 5-2 Victory Over Loras

The five goals rank as tied for ninth-most in single game history

MACOMB, Ill. – The Western Illinois men's soccer team was back in action on Monday, September 21, as the Leathernecks took on Loras College. On the heels of a 4-1 victory, the WIU offense picked up where it left off as the Leathernecks defeated the Duhawks 5-2. Western's victory, it's second-consecutive win, moves the team to 2-5-2, while the Duhawks, who are ranked No. 6 in the NSCAA Division III polls, falls to 4-2-1 on the year.

"Well we started a little slow, again, on restarts, and Loras took advantage of them," said head coach Dr. Eric Johnson. "They are pretty good, their service was good, and thought their long throw was dangerous, so it was good that we were able to score a few and come back after giving up two on restarts."
 
Things started off on the wrong foot for the Leathernecks, as Loras struck first just minutes into the game. Spencer Moore picked up a loose ball in the box in the fourth minute and quickly put the Duhawks up 1-0.
 
But the lead didn't last long, as in the sixth minute Drew Whalen evened the score. Whalen, who has now scored in each of the last two days, was set up with a beautiful through ball from Fernando Pacheco. Whalen's one-touch finish beat the keeper to the lower left side of the net.
 
Played settled down for a while until the Leathernecks struck again in the 26th minute. Pacheco picked up his second assist on the afternoon as he played a nearly identical through ball to Jacob Bevan. Like Whalen, Bevan took the pass at the top of the box, and beat the Duhawk keeper with a single touch. Bevan would end the day with seven shots, five on goal, while netting a pair of goals.
 
Western's lead was erased in the 29th minute as Moore's cross to the far post found Bryan Irwin. Irwin played the ball off to Mike Gordon, who beat freshman Bruce Corrie, who was making his third-straight start in net for the Purple and Gold.
 
As the match went back-and-forth, it was Western who would tally the final three goals of the afternoon. First it was Armel Kouassi scoring for the second time in as many games, as he put Western up, 3-2, in the 32nd minute. Whalen connected on a through ball to Kouassi, and Kouassi's strike from just outside the box beat Jacob Peterson to put the Leathernecks up for good.
 
Minutes later, Corrie was taken down, prompting a yellow card on the Duhawks. The play forced Corrie out of the game, and fellow freshman Sam Copp would finish out the final 56:01 in net, tallying one save.
 
In the second half, Bevan would strike for his second goal of the day, his first-career multi-goal game at Western. Kouassi would play the ball off to Bevan, and his strike would beat the new Duhawk keeper to the far post. Amadeo Ramon would cap the scoring in the 78th minute, as he would collect a Leatherneck shot the deflected off of the Loras keeper, and bury his first goal of the season into an empty net.
 
Western's five-goal outburst ranks tied for ninth in program history for most goals in a game, while the Leathernecks' 26 shots taken also ranks tied for ninth-most in WIU history.

"Defensively we were missing a couple of guys and some others guys stepped in and did well, and that's good. Gave them some minutes and experience that they need. We have to tighten it up in the back. You can't give  up  two goals to Denver and think you are going to win unless you are fantastic going the other way. We got two in a row, though, so that's good for us," added Johnson.
 
The Leathernecks return to action on Saturday, September 26, as Western opens Summit League play against Denver. The contest between Western and the Pioneers, the reigning Summit League champions, is set to begin at 1 p.m. on John MacKenzie Alumni Field.
 
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