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Western Illinois University Athletics

Schuler
0
Western Ill. WIL (6-2-1, 0-0-0)
0
Drake DRA (5-3-2, 0-0-0)
Western Ill. WIL
(6-2-1, 0-0-0)
0
Final
0
Drake DRA
(5-3-2, 0-0-0)
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 OT 1 OT 2 F
Western Ill. WIL 0 0 0 0 0
Drake DRA 0 0 0 0 0

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

Women's Soccer Finishes Non-Conference Play With Draw

110 minutes was not enough as neither team found the back of the net.

The Western Illinois University Fighting Leatherneck women's soccer team was back in action on Sunday (Sept. 19), playing the Drake Bulldogs to a scoreless draw at Drake Stadium in Des Moines, Iowa.
 
The game started with a highly competitive first half, and several Leathernecks made impact plays. After a cut back cross in the 23rd minute, a Bulldog attacker had a one-on-one chance in the box, but her shot to the far post was saved by a diving Isabel Navas Rodriguez to keep the game level. 20 minutes later during the 43rd minute, Bridget Schuler took one of her signature front flip throw ins, playing a ball to the center of the 18-yard box. After being headed away, Bailey Burlingham unleashed a rocket from the top of the box, but it slammed against the crossbar and went out of bounds.
 
The game was scoreless at half and both teams were close in several statistical categories. Drake led the game in shots 7-6 and corners 3-0, with both goalkeepers making four saves a piece and Western drawing committing three fewer fouls.
 
In the second half, there were more opportunities to take the lead that narrowly missed. After a ball played in from the near side, Leah Ahlers found herself alone at the edge of the six-yard box but her 71st minute shot was straight at the goalkeeper. 16 minutes later, Natalie Nagle got a look at goal off a set piece, but her shot was saved and the game remained tied at zero.
  
The two overtime periods were back and forth, with both teams having chances to score and goalkeepers stepping up to make big plays. The best chance for Western came with just under two minutes remaining in the second overtime period, when Maddie Hasken got her head on a cross near the penalty spot. It was saved once again by the Bulldog 'keeper, and the game finished 0-0.
 
In 110 minutes of action, Western had 15 shots (ten on goal) and took two corner kicks. The defense drew seven Bulldog offsides calls, while the offense was never caught offside. Navas Rodriguez finished with seven saves on 16 total shots faced, and she was one of five Leathernecks to play all 110 minutes. 17 players featured for Western, eight of whom recorded a shot on goal, and the offensive pressure forced ten saves from the Drake goalkeeper.

"Today's performance was tough, as it was hot and our second game of the weekend. We came out ready to go, played hard and got a result on the road, and we had some good showings today from the back line," associate head coach Josee Primeau said. "(Lauryn Peters), (Angie Knies), (Cassidy Grunewald), (Kayla Turner) and (Zoe Clarke) shut things down for Drake. Natalie Nagle, Jenna Lundgren, and Emmy Ellington covered so much ground and raised the level for us when we had possession, and Bridget Schuler and Audrey Narine worked extremely hard up top to create good opportunities for us in the attacking third." 

With this result, Western Illinois has officially concluded non-conference play. At 6-2-1, this is the most non-conference wins for the team since 2012 while tripling their win total from last season. The team who played last spring scored ten goals in 16 games; the current roster already has 17 through its first nine.
 
25 players have received minutes in the first half of the season, and 17 Leathernecks have made at least one start. Of the 25 to appear in a WIU game, seven are freshmen and eight are sophomores, and Peters currently leads the team in minutes played (839) followed by  Nagle (807), Navas Rodriguez (807), and Knies (789).
 
Six individuals have scored goals this season, led by Amy Andrews (seven), Bridget Schuler (four) and Jenna Lundgren (three). Andrews, Schuler and Kayla Turner have all recorded multiple assists. The attack has drawn three penalty kicks, all of which were converted.
 
Navas Rodriguez has made 53 saves on 127 shots faced, and her average of 5.88 per game would tie her for ninth best in program history if the season concluded today. Her 75.7 save percentage is also an improvement over last season.
 
With today's scoreless draw the team now has two shutouts, which hasn't been done since the 2019 season. Having finished non-conference play with 55 points recorded, Leatherneck women's soccer has tied the tenth best mark in program history, and the current average of 6.11 points-per-game would tie the program record.

Summit League action begins on Oct. 1, as the team will travel to Brookings, S.D., for a matchup with the South Dakota State Jackrabbits. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. at Fishback Soccer Park.

 
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