MACOMB, Ill. – Western Illinois men's soccer returns home Thursday to take on SIUE in an Ohio Valley Conference matchup as the Leathernecks look to bounce back and close out the regular season on a strong note.
Western Illinois is coming off a 1-0 loss to UT Rio Grande Valley on Saturday in Edinburg, Texas. Despite the result, goalkeeper Drew Heller made several key saves to keep the Leathernecks within striking distance throughout the match. Western Illinois created multiple scoring opportunities in the second half but was unable to find the equalizer.
The Leathernecks will look to build on their second-half offensive pressure against an SIUE squad coming off a 3-1 road victory over Southern Indiana. The Cougars scored three times in the first half, with goals from Ryley Gibbs, Amos Boum Nlend and Dominic Bartoni, before holding on for the conference win.
SIUE enters Thursday's matchup with a 7-6-2 overall record and a 5-2-1 mark in OVC play. The Cougars currently sit atop the conference standings with 16 points, one point ahead of Lindenwood. SIUE has won three of its last four matches and will look to maintain its position at the top of the league.
Gibbs leads the Cougars offensively with seven goals this season, while Grant Locker has been a key contributor on set pieces, assisting on the opening goal against Southern Indiana. SIUE also recorded a season-high 18 shots in its most recent outing, demonstrating its ability to generate offensive opportunities.
Western Illinois will look to rely on Heller's goalkeeping and capitalize on its scoring chances against the Cougars. The Leathernecks showed increased attacking pressure in the second half against UTRGV, with Jokubas Samsonas, Jack Schwering and Ryan Wrobleski each recording shots early after the break.
With the regular season nearing its conclusion, Thursday's matchup provides Western Illinois with an opportunity to compete against one of the conference's top teams and build momentum heading into the final stretch.
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