Skip To Main Content

Upcoming Events and Recent Results

Western Illinois University Athletics

sagal
Sarah Ritter
3
Winner South Dakota USD (2-6-5, 1-1-2)
2
Western Ill. WIL (3-7-3, 1-4-0)
Winner
South Dakota USD
(2-6-5, 1-1-2)
3
Final
2
Western Ill. WIL
(3-7-3, 1-4-0)
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
South Dakota USD 1 2 3
Western Ill. WIL 0 2 2

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

Western Falls at Home

Emmy Ellington and Amy Andrews scored, Leathernecks host SDSU on Sunday.

MACOMB, Ill. – Western Illinois women's soccer played on Friday (Oct. 7), falling 3-2 to the South Dakota Coyotes at John MacKenzie Alumni Field. Western fought back after conceding in the first half, taking a lead in the 67th minute, but USD found two breakthroughs in the final 20 minutes of action.
 
"After the good week of training that we had I think the girls came out with a really good attitude, they came out energetic and came out excited for this," head coach Josee Primeau said. "They worked really hard, connected a lot of good passes and we saw a lot of good things…. it just came down to a couple of key plays where we didn't take care of business."
 
WIU put pressure on the Coyotes early, with Olivia Heinert and Malerie Rohweder both finding looks at goal in the first four minutes – though Heinert's shot was just high and USD's goalkeeper saved Rohweder's attempt. Despite the early opportunities it was USD who struck first in the 43rd minute, a lead that would hold into halftime.

It didn't take long for Western to strike back, however. Less than five minutes into the second half, Angie Knies won control of the ball in front of the team's bench. After a touch, the Ely, Iowa native played a long ball into the box where, after a bounce, Emmy Ellington was waiting to head it home at the near post, tying the game at one with her second goal of the season.
 
Nearly 20 minutes later, Western struck again thanks to Amy Andrews. Andrews took a long run down the far sideline off a ball from the midfield, cut through the Coyote defense and eventually found herself one-on-one with the goalkeeper, making no mistake with her effort over a diving Coyote 'keeper. The Leathernecks took a 67th minute lead thanks to Andrews' goal, her league-leading eighth of the season.
 
USD struck in the 71st and 79th minutes to take a 3-2 advantage that would hold until the final horn.
 
As a team Western managed 12 shots, six of which were on target, while taking two corner kicks and drawing six fouls. Isabel Navas Rodriguez made four saves in net while the defense baited the Coyote offense into three offside calls. Andrews led the team with four shots in the game as Ellington, Angie Knies and Sydnee Sagal all finished with multiple shots, while Knies' assist was her first of the 2022 campaign. Friday's game also marked the first start of the collegiate career for Emily Martins while also serving as Sagal's return to action after not seeing action since Sept. 11 against Illinois State.
 
"Angie did well in a new role that was different for her but it creates a lot more freedom to have bigger impact for us offensively. I think Emmy Ellington did really well too. She created a lot, she connected a lot, and is a really good playmaker for us in the middle," Primeau said. "Emily Martins in the back I think turned up today and did really well for the majority of the game, especially having not played a full game back there yet. She's only played in smaller shifts but to come out today and do the job she did was really good."
 
Despite the loss, Coach Primeau noted there are lessons to be learned from a game that saw the team take a one-goal deficit and turn it into a one-goal lead.
 
"Even though we went down 1-0, their work ethic and energy never dropped or faltered and I think that ultimately resulted in us being able to take a lead. It helped us throughout the rest of the game," Primeau said. "I think that feeling is something the girls hold on to, the belief that we can come back and belief we're still in the game regardless of what the score is."
 
The Leathernecks are back in action on Sunday (Oct. 9), hosting South Dakota State. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. at John MacKenzie Alumni Field.
 
Print Friendly Version