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Men's Soccer Opens Regular Season With Two Road Matches

| By: WIU ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS

The Leathernecks Travel to Northern Illinois and Green Bay this Weekend

SCHEDULE UPDATE: The Men's Soccer game at Northern Illinois has been moved back three hours to 8 p.m. and will be played at Indoor Sports Center at Mercyhealth Sportscore Two in Loves Park, IL.

Who | Western Illinois (0-0) @ Northern Illinois (0-0) / Green Bay (0-0)
When | Thursday, Aug. 24 - 8 P.M. CT / Sunday, Aug. 27 – 1 p.m. CT 
Where | Indoor Sports Center at Mercyhealth Sportscore Two - Loves Park, IL / Aldo Santaga Stadium - Green Bay, WI
Social Media | Instagram + Twitter + Facebook 

Previous matchup: Going all the way back to 1968, Western has a record of 8-28 against the Huskies of Northern Illinois. The Huskies have particularly shown their strength at home, as they are 13-1 all time in DeKalb against the Leathernecks. Western lost last year's matchup 1-0 in Macomb.
Dating back to 1971, Western Illinois and Green Bay have matched up a total of 36 times, as the Leathernecks have a record of 13-20-3 against the Phoenix. Green Bay holds a 4-match win streak going into Sunday's matchup, winning 4 matchups in the last 5 years. The Phoenix are historically dominant at home against the Leathernecks as well, as they hold a 12-2-3 record in Green Bay. Last year's matchup saw the Phoenix win 2-1, thanks to a late 77th minute winner from Green Bay. 

Scouting the opponents: Northern Illinois has played 2 exhibition matches this season, at Creighton and against Graceland. In 2022, the Huskies finished 5-8-4, placing 4th in the 5-team Mid-American Conference. 
Green Bay has not played any exhibition matches, but will open the season at home on Thursday against the Memphis Tigers. The Phoenix finished with a 6-3-7 record in 2022 and finishing 7th in the 10-team Horizon League. 

So far this season: Western has played 3 exhibition matches, finishing with a 2-1 record in those games. The squad lost 2-3 to UIC in Macomb, then followed that up with wins against Southeastern CC and Quincy.  

Players to watch: WIU's Kyle Owen and Caleb Ragland were named Summit League Players to Watch for the 2023 season. Owen is a 5th-year student from Oklahoma City, and scored 4 times in the 3 exhibition matches. Ragland is also a 5th-year student, from Wichita, Kansas. Ragland has started 39 games in the last 3 years for the Leathernecks.

What's next: Western will play its conclude its 3-game road trip with a match against the Drake Bulldogs in Des Moines, IA, on Sep. 1 at 7 P.M. The Leathernecks play their first match in Macomb on Sep. 5, when they host the Lions of Lindenwood at 5 P.M. 
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