Leathernecks Finish Off Three Game Homestand with Thursday, Sunday Matchups

Wednesday, September 04, 2024 | By: WIU ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS

LOCATION CHANGE: Thursday's match against Green Bay will be played at Peacock Memorial Athletic Park on the campus of Monmouth College. The Leathernecks will then host Illinois State in Macomb on Sunday.

Where | John MacKenzie Alumni Field - Macomb, IL
When |
Thursday, September 5 @ 2 PM vs. Green Bay Live Stats
Sunday, September 8 @ 1 PM vs. Illinois State Live Stats
(All times central)

Meet the Phoenix:
Green Bay and Western Illinois faced off last year in Macomb. The Leathernecks won three to one, with Alanna Pennington netting two goals. Green Bay enters Thursday's matchup on a 24-game winless streak, with their last win dating back to October 9, 2022. The Phoenix and Leathernecks lost three-nil to South Dakota State this season, as the Jackrabbits are the only common opponent both sides have faced in 2024.

Redbirds Return:
Illinois State comes back to Macomb on Sunday, maintaining a rivalry that has been played in every season since 2017, except the COVID-shortened 2020 season. The Leathernecks are 2-8-2 against the Redbirds all time, last facing off in Macomb in 2022. Both of the Leatherneck wins in the series came in overtime, most recently in 2021. In 2024, Illinois State is 1-2-1, defeating Green Bay two to one in the season opener, and not scoring a goal since then.

Three Games Down:
To start 2024, Western Illinois has dropped its first trio of games to three tough opponents, Iowa State, Northern Iowa, and South Dakota State. Western lost 3-0 to Iowa State and 5-1 to Northern Iowa before taking a ten-day break into Thursday's match, in which they fell 3-0. Callie McMurtrey scored the Leathernecks' first goal of the season against Northern Iowa, off an assist from Rachel Balinao. Freshman keeper Ariel Bernard made her first career start against the Jackrabbits, racking up 12 saves.

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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For all the latest information on Leatherneck Women'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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LOCATION CHANGE: Thursday's match against Green Bay will be played at Peacock Memorial Athletic Park on the campus of Monmouth College. The Leathernecks will then host Illinois State in Macomb on Sunday.

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