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MSOC vs. Eastern Ill.

Non-League Action Awaits

| By: WIU Athletic Communications

The Leathernecks travel to IUPUI on Wednesday (Oct. 30) and host Bradley Monday (Nov. 4).

GAMES Sixteen and Seventeen 

Who | Western Illinois at IUPUI and vs. Bradley  
When | Wednesday (Oct. 30) at 6 p.m. CT and Monday (Nov. 4) vs. Bradley at 2 p.m.
Where | Michael A. Carroll Stadium - Indianapolis Ind. & John MacKenzie Alumni Field - Macomb, Ill. 
Watch | vs. Bradley 
Live Stats | at IUPUI and vs. Bradley
Social Media | Twitter #TRADITIONofTOUGH

Kick-Off | After earning a bid to The Summit League Tournament, the Western Illinois men's soccer team dives back into Non-League Action with IUPUI and Bradley. 

Postseason Secured | With the victory over Eastern Illinois, the Leathernecks clinched a spot into postseason play for the 18th time in program history after Western missed out on the tournament last year for the first time since 2010

Last Time Out | "I think we grew closer as a team. Honestly you know, most teams that start a season 0-11 like that, they just fall apart, but honestly we grew stronger," Tim Trilk said after the Western Illinois men's soccer team battled to a 2-1 victory over Eastern Illinois on Saturday (Oct. 26) and clinched a spot in The Summit League Tournament. 

For Thomas Hollis, Christian Junna, Gimale Essacu, and Trilk, Senior Day will be one that goes down in the books forever. 

Coming off his first career Player of the Week honor, Ryan DeBois (14') once again ignited the Western attack for his team-leading sixth goal. After an EIU turnover, the junior secured the ball and in full stride, fired a shot to the bottom left corner while being tugged from behind for the 1-0 lead. The forward has now scored in every Summit League match and the last five games in a row. 

Generating the Leatherneck attack, Essacu returned from the Papua New Guinea U-23 National Team and the Olympic Qualifiers just in time to earn his second assist in a row. Midway through the rainy second-half, Caleb Ragland found Essacu in the box off a corner who flicked it quickly to the feet of Daisuke Otsuka for the eventual game-winning goal in the 67th minute. 

Trilk has had one memorable final bow as he has scattered his name across the record book. He stopped a late Eastern shot in the first half to keep them off the board and maintain the 1-0 lead. Between the pipes, Trilk finished with three saves and earned his 12th career victory to tie Chris Frentz (2002-05) for ninth all-time. 
 
National Attention | To say Tim Trilk is a wall between the pipes is an understatement. As of Oct. 28, he was tied for 7th in all D1 and second in the Summit League with 69 total saves. He set a career-high 13 at UIC, which tied Chris Frenz (Oct. 25, 2002 vs. IUPUI) for third in saves in a game. He owns the program marks for fourth in minutes in goal (4349:48), eighth in career saves (184), tied seventh in shutouts (8), tied ninth in wins (12).

Start Wearing Purple and Gold | So far into the 2019 campaign, WIU has totaled seven goals from newcomers. Daniel McIntosh, Daisuke Otsuka, Kyle Owen, and Enric Ferrer have all found the back of the net for the first time as a Leatherneck.

Nine Wonders of the Pitch | Nine different Leathernecks have found the back net with Ryan DeBois as the team leader with six, Daisuke Otsuka has notched three, followed by Enric Ferrer and Mitchell Moynihan who have two. Luke Duball, Cesar Cosio, Paul Kirdorf, Daniel McIntosh, and Kyle Owen all have one. 

Helping Foot | Nine different players have been credited in the assists of Western's 18 total goals. Caleb Ragland leads the pack with three. Luke Duball, Enric Ferrer, and Paul Kirdorf all are deadlocked with two. 

National Team | Every soccer player across the world dreams of representing their home country at the international level. And for current Western Illinois men's soccer student-athlete Gimale Essacu, he will get that honor once again. 

Essacu was selected to the Papua New Guinea U-23 squad by head coach Percy Mataio earlier this September. A member of the 20-man team, he will compete in the OFC Men's Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Fiji for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics from Sept. 21-Oct. 5. The Leatherneck also suited up for his home country in an Olympic Qualifier in 2015 that advanced to the semifinals. 

All Eyes On 5 | Heading into his junior season Paul Kirdorf was tabbed a Player to Watch for the 2019 season. The historic 4-3 win for the Western Illinois men's soccer team over Denver was lead by Kirdorf, who tallied two assists to be named Summit League Offensive Player of the Week, the league announced Monday (Oct. 14). 

The honor marks the first time Kirdorf has earned the weekly recognition as Western Illinois defeated the Pioneers for the first time in program history. 

Leatherneck Sweep | Back-to-back shutout victories fueled both from Ryan DeBois (Offensive), and Tim Trilk (Defensive) earned the Western Illinois men's soccer team to sweep The Summit League Player of the Week Awards, the league announced Monday (Oct. 21).

The last time the Leathernecks swept the honors was in 2016 by Tim Hansen and Armel Kouassi.
Scouting the Jaguars | IUPUI host Western Illinois with a 4-8-2 record and 2-3-1 mark in Horizon League play. Yan Souza has scored a team-leading four goals with just eight shots on frame. Quin McCallion between the pipes has stopped 64 shots to aid two clean sheets. 

Scouting the Braves | In-state rival Bradley makes its way to Macomb for the final home game of 2019. The Braves are 5-5-4 and 4-3-2 for second in the Missouri Valley. Nathan Wisbey has only allowed 11 goals to go with sevens shutouts and 31 saves. 

Up Next | WIU wraps up Summit League play on the road against Oral Roberts on Saturday (Nov. 9) at 7 p.m. 
 
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