MACOMB, Ill. – The Western Illinois women's soccer team prepares to face Lindenwood on Sunday, November 1, as the Leathernecks look to close out the regular season against a Lions squad fighting for the top spot in the Ohio Valley Conference standings.
Western Illinois enters the matchup following a 1-0 loss to Morehead State. Despite the result, the Leathernecks created several scoring opportunities throughout the contest, with Claire Brown, Sammy Hunt and Sachiko Gamo recording first-half attempts.
Goalkeeper Mahee-Lee Caron kept Western Illinois within striking distance with several key saves. The Leathernecks had an opportunity to take the lead in the 64th minute when Rita Moran stepped up for a penalty kick, but Morehead State goalkeeper Amira Hendrick made the stop to keep the match scoreless. Morehead State later found the breakthrough in the 76th minute to secure the victory.
Lindenwood enters Sunday's contest following a 2-1 victory over SIUE, a result that moved the Lions into a tie for first place in the OVC standings entering the final week of the regular season.
The Lions overcame an early deficit after SIUE scored in the opening minute. Lindenwood responded in the 32nd minute when Kaylee Conoyer found the back of the net following a corner kick to even the score. Shortly afterward, SIUE's goalkeeper was sent off following a video review, giving Lindenwood a numerical advantage for the remainder of the match.
Lindenwood capitalized in the 69th minute when Sam Steele scored the game-winning goal off an assist from Allison Schrumpf. The Lions finished with a season-high 24 shots and earned their third consecutive victory.
The matchup presents a challenge for the Leathernecks against a Lindenwood team looking to maintain its position near the top of the conference standings. Western Illinois will look to create scoring opportunities and build on its defensive efforts as it closes out the regular season.
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