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Leathernecks Face Tall Task With SIUE Matchup

| By: WIU ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS

Western Illinois Men’s Soccer faces off with SIUE Saturday, their toughest opponent of the season in 2024.

Where | Edwardsville, Illinois - Korte Stadium
When | 
Saturday, October 26, 2 PM, @ SIUE         Stream          Live Stats
(All times central)

Meet the Cougars:
SIUE (7-4-3, 5-1-1), the champions of the Ohio Valley Conference in its inaugural season, look to repeat as they sit tied for first place with 16 points. The Cougars are ranked 73rd in the NCAA's Ratings Percentage Index and present the toughest challenge on the season for the Leathernecks, as they have not faced a team with a higher ranking. The Cougars are 5-1-1 in Edwardsville this year, with their only loss coming to a strong Omaha side. Despite starting 5-0 in conference play, the Cougars faltered in their two-game stint in Texas, drawing Incarnate Word and losing to Houston Christian, while failing to score a goal in either match. 

Leatherneck Check-in:
Western Illinois (7-8-1, 2-5) is 2-2 in their last two matches, beating Liberty and Southern Indiana while losing to Lindenwood and Eastern Illinois. The Leathernecks currently sit in sixth place in the conference, an uncomfortable place to be as WIU faces three challenges in its last three matches, as they host Incarnate Word and Houston Christian in Macomb to close out the season. Liam Gainey, who's tallied a team-high six goals for WIU, has missed the last three games with injury, and the Leathernecks could surely use his veteran presence.

Another for the Captain:
On October 15, Leatherneck sophomore defender Joel McIntyre was named the Ohio Valley Conference's Defensive Player of the Week for the third time this season, making him the only player in the conference to earn three Defensive Player of the Week honors in 2024. McIntyre led the Leathernecks to a 1-0 win over Liberty, shutting out one of the nation's top scoring offenses. Against Lindenwood, McIntyre made a stellar goal-line clearance to help keep the Leathernecks level. 

Weekly Award Sweep:
Western Illinois swept weekly awards after dominating Northern Illinois, as three Leathernecks picked up OVC Player of the Week honors on Tuesday, September 24. Freshman keeper Alexis Michaud was tabbed the conference's Goalkeeper of the Week after a seven-save clean sheet. Joel McIntyre picked up Co-Defensive Player of the Week, leading the Leathernecks to a shutout victory. Senior midfielder Jimmy Baars was named Offensive Player of the Week after netting a pair of goals, making it a Leatherneck sweep in the OVC. 

Player of the Week:
Following the first week of Leatherneck men's soccer action, center-back and sophomore captain Joel McIntyre was named the OVC's Defensive Player of the Week. McIntyre helped lead the Leatherneck defense to a one-all draw with the Bulldogs. The award was the first of McIntyre's career. 

Player to Watch:
In the Ohio Valley Conference's preseason poll, Jimmy Baars was named an OVC Player to Watch. A senior midfielder, Baars is in his second year with the Leathernecks. A native of Kudelstaart, Netherlands, Baars started in seven of his 14 appearances, totaling 590 minutes on the year. He finished his 2023 campaign with nine shot attempts and four on goal. 

FOLLOW THE LEATHERNECKS
For all the latest information on Leatherneck Men's Soccer, please visit GoLeathernecks.com. For up-to-the-minute updates, follow the Leathernecks on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram and Facebook.
 
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