Western Illinois Faces Southern Indiana in Season Finale

Friday, October 25, 2024 | By: WIU ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS

Where | Strassweg Field - Evansville, Ind.
When |
October 27, 1 PM @ Southern Indiana Stream Live Stats
(All times central)

About the Screaming Eagles:
Southern Indiana (4-8-5, 3-2-3) enters Sunday's season finale in fifth place, with no chance of dropping past the sixth seed in the OVC Women's Soccer Championship. In their last three matches, the Screaming Eagles have been playing some of their best soccer of the season, as they've taken down top sides Morehead State and Little Rock, just before drawing with SIUE last Sunday. Southern Indiana started winless in their first eight matches of the year, but have come on strong late, and can still claim a first-round bye with a win if a couple of other matches around the league break their way.

One Last Chance:
Western Illinois (1-13-1, 1-6-1) still has a chance to qualify for the OVC championship on Sunday, despite entering the conference's final matchweek in last place. The Leathernecks need to defeat Southern Indiana, and need help from Morehead State, as the Eagles must defeat SIUE on Sunday. Then, UT Martin and SEMO need to play to a draw, and the Leathernecks can claim the eighth seed. Despite getting back-to-back results to start the month of October, WIU has cooled off in recent weeks, losing their last four matches while only scoring one goal. The Leathernecks will need to get on the board on Sunday, maybe even multiple times, which is something the Leathernecks have only done once in 2024.

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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