Leathernecks Head to Iowa for Matchup with Drake

Thursday, August 31, 2023 | By: WIU ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS

WIU will play the Bulldogs on Friday at 7 PM

Who | Western Illinois (0-2) @ Drake (0-2)
When | Thursday, Sep. 1, 7 PM
Where | Cownie Soccer Complex, Des Moines, IA | ESPN+
Social Media | Instagram + Twitter + Facebook

Previous matchup: Western currently holds a 7-15-2 record against Drake going into Friday's matchup. The Bulldogs take a 4-game win streak against Western into the match, most recently winning 1-0 in Des Moines in 2021. The Leathernecks' last win against Drake came in 2016.

Scouting the opponents: Drake is 0-2 so far in 2023, losing matches at Marquette and Wisconsin. Drake is currently being outscored 2-5 in the season, with J.P. Pascarella and Jackson Kirsch scoring the only goals of the season for the Bulldogs. Drake was slotted to finish 7th in the Missouri Valley Conference's preseason poll this year.

So far this season: Western opened the season this past week with a pair of 0-1 losses, first to Northern Illinois, then to Green Bay most recently on Sunday. The Leathernecks are still seeking their first point of the season going into Friday's matchup.

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. Western also recently added 5th year student Cian McNamara to the squad. McNamara scored 6 goals in 2 seasons at Cornell College.

What's next: The Leathernecks will follow Friday's match with a pair of home games against Lindenwood and Bradley, on Sep. 5 and 8, respectively.

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WIU will play the Bulldogs on Friday at 7 PM

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