MACOMB, Ill. - Entering the host of a Summit League rival, the Western Illinois men's soccer team was 0-11 for the season and 0-11 lifetime against the Denver Pioneers, but a new start for the Leathernecks changed everything in a 4-3 win on Saturday (Oct. 12) afternoon at John MacKenzie Alumni Field.
The Leathernecks now sit overall at 1-11-0 and 1-1-0 in Summit League play while Denver fall to 2-7-2 and 0-1-1.
"Hard fought win for the team today," Director of Soccer Dr. Eric Johnson said. "We were due for a result, and our persistence and attitude paid off. Denver is a good team and for us to score four goals for the win was fantastic."
His first collegiate goal was one that will go down in program history. On a corner, in the 75th minute Paul Kirdorf soared a perfect ball to the back post that connected to Kyle Owen for a header that zoomed into the back of the net for the game-winning goal.
The Leathernecks again answered the challenge when Enric Ferrer and Luke Duball linked up on passes that found Ryan DeBois (66') who just checked into the game. The junior bent the ball into the top left corner for his team-leading third goal of the season and to give Western a 3-2 lead.
WIU erased an early goal in the 5th minute by Denver with back-to-back scores. Daisuke Otsuka (16') maneuvered his way through a scramble in the box to fire a shot for his second goal of the season.
After a Pioneer foul, Kirdorf set up the first one of his two assists of the match. The Summit League Player to Watch played a curving ball around the Denver wall to find the feet of Cesar Cosio for his first goal of the season and to give WIU a 2-1 lead.
With only one save in the first 45 minutes, Tim Trilk shined in crucial moments in the second half. The senior stopped four Denver opportunities to earn his tenth career win between the pipes and to total 176 career saves.
The Purple and Gold stop the 11 game skid and now turn to a break in League play with the host of Detroit on Tuesday (Oct. 15) at 3 p.m.
