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Western Illinois University Athletics

MadelineEdwards
4
Winner Valparaiso VALPO (0-0-0)
2
Western Illinois WIUW (0-0-0)
Winner
Valparaiso VALPO
(0-0-0)
4
Final
2
Western Illinois WIUW
(0-0-0)
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Valparaiso VALPO 4 0 4
Western Illinois WIUW 1 1 2

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

Leathernecks Fall 4-2 To Valparaiso In Home Exhibition

Western Illinois dropped an exhibition match to Valparaiso at home.

MACOMB, Ill. - The Western Illinois women's soccer team dropped a 4-2 decision to the visiting Valparaiso Crusaders Tuesday, Aug. 9 at John Mackenzie Alumni Field.

The Leathernecks found themselves in an 0-2 deficit early in the match after Valparaiso goals in the fifth and ninth minutes of the contest. 

"Valparaiso was very good today and they were better on the ball today and broke us down in the middle, so that's something we have to work on," said Western Illinois Director of Soccer Dr. Eric Johnson. "Our main focus is that we want opponents to play around us, not through us, so we've got to do a better job of pressing and tightening up the spaces behind our pressing players."

Western then found itself down 3-0 in the 29th minute when Valparaiso's Tahelah Noel scored on an assist by Adi Johnson. WIU was able to get on the board in the 31st minute, when Alanna Lalich intercepted a defender's pass and lobbed the ball over the goalkeeper for the team's first goal.

A handball inside the box resulted in a penalty kick for the Crusaders, which increased their lead at 4-1 in the 40th minute.

The Leathernecks found the back of the net once again in the second half, with Madeline Edwards lining a shot from just past midfield that soared over the keeper's hands in the 63rd minute.

"We were definitely more composed and better in the second half, and we did a better job of moving the ball," said Johnson. "We've just got to improve, but without this exhibition, we wouldn't know what to improve on, so this gives us an idea to know where we are at. We got a lot of players in, so we can evaluate and come up with a solid lineup in the next two games."

The Leathernecks were not able to dwindle Valparaiso's lead in the remaining minutes.

"I was pleased about some things and not pleased about others, but we scored two goals and I think that our underclassmen played very well today," said Johnson. "They did well and they are going to help us play some girls in different positions. I thought that our goal was to win the second half, and we did. There's nothing we could do about the first half, but in the second half, we were able to score a goal and shut them down. That was good for us and I think that is a positive we can look at."

Valparaiso out-shot the Leathernecks 11-3 on goal in the first half, while both teams recorded six apiece in the second half.

Next up for Western are a pair of road exhibition matches at Kansas City (Aug. 13) and William Penn (Aug. 15), before officially beginning the regular season with an Aug. 19 road meeting with Indiana State. The first regular season home match will take place on Friday, Sept. 2 against Milwaukee. 
 
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