MACOMB – The Leathernecks took on Omaha in a Saturday afternoon match that would be the last game played at John MacKenzie Alumni field in the fall of 2023. Western looked to pick up points in the Summit League table, as entering the game the Leathernecks stood in 5th place, on the outside looking in for a place in the Summit League Tournament. The match was played in less than ideal conditions, on a cloudy day with a kick-off temperature of just 42 degrees. Today's match also marked the 76th all-time start from fifth year Kyle Owen, who set a new all-time record in WIU history with the start.
Omaha nearly got on the board inside thirty seconds, but a Maverick player missed his chance by just a few feet to start the match. Kyle Owen then had a chance in the fourth minute, but his attempt was saved by Omaha keeper Nathan Sallah. Omaha would be the first team on the board in the seventeenth minute, as Maverick Ede Granberg slotted one in to put Western in a hole early. The Leathernecks would fight back right away and respond with a huge equalizer from freshman Oskar Grevelius, who scored his first goal for the purple and gold. Neither team would see much offensive action after the nineteen minute mark, as the two sides would go into the break tied at one.
At the half, the Leathernecks honored program legend Skip Begley, as well as other former men's soccer alumni that were invited to a post-match banquet to celebrate the team, as well as a $30,000 scholarship named in the honor of former Western coach John MacKenzie.
Ten minutes into the first half, Omaha would draw a penalty kick, which Theo Klein would slot away in the bottom left corner to give the Mavericks a lead they would not relinquish. Western did have a handful of decent chances in the second half, the highlight of those being an Aidan Breslin shot in the box, where the freshman nearly scored a beauty that went into the top corner of the net, but Omaha's keeper made a diving save to keep the Mavericks ahead. A yellow card given to Omaha with ten minutes to go saw Western get a free kick from thirty yards out, but Omaha would clear it away, and apart from a 50/50 call in the Maverick box that didn't go the Leathernecks way, Western wouldn't see another chance in the match. Omaha locked itself in the Summit League tournament with their 2-1 win over Western, and the Leathernecks' chances of making the tournament look unlikely at best.
Next Saturday, Western Illinois will wrap up the 2023 season with a match in St. Paul versus St. Thomas.
