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Leathernecks Take On Jackrabbits in Home Opener

| By: WIU ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS

Familiar foe South Dakota State will return to Macomb on Thursday.

Where | John MacKenzie Alumni Field - Macomb, IL
When | 
Thursday, August 29, 5 PM vs. South Dakota State        Live Stats
(All times central)

About the Jackrabbits:
The Leathernecks welcome back South Dakota State to Macomb on Thursday, as the two sides were conference foes in the Summit League from 2007-2022. The Jackrabbits have dominated the Leathernecks for a decade-plus, as they've won the previous 13 matchups between the two sides. In 2024, SDSU is 2-2, with wins over Northern Colorado and Wyoming, with losses to Kansas and Colorado College. Defender Katherine Jones was recently tabbed the Summit League's Women's Soccer Defensive Peak Performer of the Week and has two assists on the year. 

Two Games Down:
To start 2024, Western Illinois dropped their first pair of games to two tough opponents, Iowa State and Northern Iowa. Western lost 3-0 to Iowa State and 5-1 to Northern Iowa before taking a ten-day break into Thursday's match. Callie McMurtrey scored the Leathernecks' first goal of the season against Northern Iowa, off an assist from Rachel Balinao. 

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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