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Leathernecks Open Season at Iowa State, Northern Iowa

| By: WIU ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS

The Western Illinois Women’s Soccer team is set to open their season this weekend with a pair of matches in the Hawkeye state.

Where | Cyclone Sports Complex - Ames, IA / UNI Soccer Field Cedar Falls, IA 
When | 
Thursday, August 15, 6 PM @ Iowa State        Stream    Live Stats
Sunday, August 18, 12 PM @ Northern Iowa    Stream    Live Stats
(All times central)

Meet the Cyclones:
Western's first match of the season comes against their only Power Four opponent, as they take on Iowa State in Ames. The Leathernecks and Cyclones have squared off four times in the past, going back to 1997. Western is 1-3-0 all-time against Iowa State, highlighted by a 2-0 win in 2007. In 2023, the Cyclones finished 6-11-1, going 3-7 in Big 12 play, finishing 11th. In the recent Big 12 preseason poll, the Cyclones were slated to finish 15th in the 16-team conference. Junior defender Chloe Broughton returns to the 2024 squad, who led all outfield players in minutes in 2023. 

A Familiar Foe:
Western Illinois and Northern Iowa will meet for the 22nd time in history on Sunday, with the Leathernecks leading the all-time series 11-6-4. In 2023, the sides played to a scoreless draw in Macomb. The Panthers finished third in the Missouri Valley in 2023, going 13-5-1 and 6-4-0 in conference play. UNI returns their top four points leaders from their 2023 side, including 2023 Missouri Valley Conference points leader Olivia Knoepfle. 

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, going into 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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