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Womenâ??s Soccer Action vs ORU
Sarah Ritter

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Leatherneck women’s soccer hits the road to face North Dakota and North Dakota State.

Who | Western Illinois (3-4-3, 1-1) at North Dakota (4-5-3, 0-1-1) / North Dakota State (4-5-3, 0-2)
When | Friday (Sept. 30) – 3 p.m. / Sunday (Oct. 2) – 1 p.m.
Where | Bronson Field – Grand Forks, N.D. / Dacotah Field – Fargo, N.D.
Social media | Instagram + Twitter + Facebook 

Previous matchup: The Fighting Leathernecks and Fighting Hawks have played nine times in program history, with Western Illinois posting a 3-5-1 record in a matchup that dates back to Sept. 16, 2012. In last season's matchup, played in Macomb, Western recorded 33 shots (17 on goal) in a 4-2 victory that saw Amy Andrews score her program-record 12th goal of the season. Despite trailing the all-time series against North Dakota State, WIU had a very successful 2021 matchup, defeating the Bison 4-1 in Macomb. Leah Ahlers scored the first goal of her career with a 39th minute rocket from outside the box as WIU finished with 19 shots (11 on target) and forced seven saves from the Bison goalkeeper.

Scouting the opponents: North Dakota is 4-5-3 and coming off a first weekend of Summit League action that saw the team draw against Omaha and fall to Denver, 2-0. The Fighting Hawks are an aggressive defensive squad, currently leading all Summit League schools with 121 fouls in 12 games. The team boasts two players with multiple goals scored this season. Also 4-5-3, North Dakota State is in the midst of a three-game losing streak with losses at Montana, at Denver and at Omaha. NDSU as a team ranks third in the Summit League for total shots (135) and is tied with Western for total goals scored this season (11).

So far this season: Western Illinois is 3-4-3 and coming off a weekend split at home, falling 2-1 to Oral Roberts on Friday before shutting out UMKC in a 2-0 Sunday victory. Western's defense has been a strength this season, ranking fourth in the Summit League for goals allowed while tying for the league-lead in shutouts (five). Seven of the team's 11 goals this season have been assisted on, with Alex Bassen and Hana Daoudi both recording multiple assists thus far.

Players to watch:  Isabel Navas Rodriguez has been a strong presence in net for Western Illinois this season, as the Spaniard is among the most productive goalkeepers in the Summit League. She ranks third in the league for save percentage (.839) and second in saves (52) while leading the league in saves per game (5.2) and shutouts (five). The five shutouts is tied for second-most in a single season in program history, while her save percentage would rank sixth-best in program history if the season ended today.
 
Now in her senior season, Malerie Rohweder has been a pivotal member of the Leatherneck midfield in 2022. With seven career appearances in her first three seasons, Rohweder enters this weekend's matchups with eight appearances and seven starts on the year, playing 483 minutes in the Western Illinois midfield. With all of the action this season, head coach Josée Primeau noted after Sunday's game that most of what Rohweder brings to the team won't show up in the box score.
 
"I think she was a huge anchor for us in midfield," Primeau said. "She was a big reason for our success in moving the ball forward and we were able to play through her, switch through her. Defensively she did her job and had a presence, and a lot of what she does will never reflect on a stat sheet."
 
Emmy Ellington scored her first goal of the 2022 season against Kansas City on Sunday, tapping in an Amy Andrews cross to double the Leatherneck lead. Originally signed as a forward, Ellington has played a number of different positions for Western Illinois, including center back and in the central midfield. The Woodbury, Minn., native has been a key figure in the WIU lineup this season, starting each of the team's 10 games and currently leading the team in minutes played (857).
 
What's next: Western Illinois women's soccer will come home for the next weekend of Summit League action, hosting South Dakota (Oct. 7) and South Dakota State (Oct. 9) next weekend.

 
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