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Leathernecks Take On Panthers

| By: WIU ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS

Western Illinois Women’s Soccer has a big opportunity in Charleston.

Where | Lakeside Field - Charleston, Ill. 
When | 
Sunday, October 13, 12 PM vs. Eastern Illinois        Stream    Live Stats
(All times central)

East vs. West:
Eastern Illinois has a 3-6-5 overall record and is 1-2-2 in conference play heading into Sunday's matchup. So far in the conference season, EIU has drawn Lindenwood and Southern Indiana. The Panthers share a common result with WIU, with both sides defeating SEMO two-one. This match will have major implications on seeding and/or qualification for the OVC Championship, as just one point separates the two sides. EIU sits in fifth while WIU is currently eighth, while the top eight teams qualify for the tournament. In 2023, the sides played to a scoreless draw. Eastern leads the all-time series 10-6-3. A focus of the Leatherneck defense will be to stop sophomore forward Abby Reinl, who has scored in each of the last three matches and four of the last five. 

WIU So Far:
Only four Ohio Valley Conference matches remain for Western Illinois, and the Leathernecks have been playing some of their best soccer of the season as of late. WIU has gathered three different results over the past three matches, defeating Southeast Missouri, drawing SIUE, and losing a hard-fought one-nil match to first-place Little Rock. Five different players have netted the five goals for Western Illinois, those players being Callie McMurtrey, Alexis Betker, Ali Matthews, Rita Moran, and Landry McCoid. Freshman goalkeeper Ariel Bernard has been a standout player for the Leathernecks, saving 7.45 shots per game, which is good for fourth in the country. 

Key Returners:
Western Illinois returns 23 players from its 2023 squad. Isabel Navas Rodriguez, a fifth-year keeper from Madrid, Spain, comes back to the Leathernecks after being named OVC Goalkeeper of the Week on three occasions last season. Sydnee Sagal, a fifth-year midfielder from Oconomowoc, WI, returns after starting in all matches in 2023. Junior outside back Hana Daoudi returns to this year's squad after finishing third among all outfield players in minutes last season. Alanna Pennington is looking to build on her 2023 freshman campaign where she started all 16 matches and scored thrice, leading the squad. 

Player to Watch:
Senior attacker/midfielder Kayla Turner was named Western Illinois' representative as a Player to Watch. Turner, in her fourth season with the Leathernecks, started 16 games as a freshman, scoring once and assisting three goals in the 2021 campaign. Turner missed most of her sophomore season, only playing three games, but bounced back last season in a super-sub role. Turner scored the Leathernecks' first goal of the OVC conference season, helping lead Western Illinois to a 1-1 draw at UT Martin. Turner also got an assist in a 3-1 win over Green Bay in 2023 and finished fourth on the 2023 side in shot attempts with ten.  

Fresh Faces:
Despite the 23 returning players, seven newcomers to the 2024 squad will look to make an impact. Coach Josee Primeau bolstered an offense that struggled to put the ball in the net in 2023, adding three junior transfer forwards to the squad. A native of Crocker, MO, Callie McMurtrey joins the team after a pair of seasons at Jefferson College. From Cody, WY, Autumn Wilson scored 16 goals in 16 games as a sophomore and will look to provide a scoring punch for the Leathernecks. Rounding out the group of transfers is Landry McCoid, who dominated ICCAC competition with Iowa Central CC in 2023. McCoid scored 35 goals in 17 games last season before joining the Leathernecks. Four freshmen also join this year's team, goalkeeper Ariel Bernard, outside back Hilary Halpin, defensive midfielder Aofie Boulter, and midfielder Ava Bell.
 
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