West Central Reporter

Western Illinois University's women's soccer team will conclude a three-game homestand with matches against Green Bay and Illinois State at John MacKenzie Alumni Field in Macomb, IL. The Leathernecks will face Green Bay on Thursday, September 5 at 2 PM and Illinois State on Sunday, September 8 at 1 PM.

Green Bay, which has not won a game since October 9, 2022, enters Thursday's match on a 24-game winless streak. The Phoenix previously faced Western Illinois last year in Macomb, where the Leathernecks secured a 3-1 victory with Alanna Pennington scoring twice. Both teams have lost to South Dakota State this season.

Illinois State will return to Macomb for Sunday's game. The rivalry between the two teams has been ongoing since 2017, excluding the COVID-shortened season of 2020. Historically, Western Illinois holds a record of 2-8-2 against the Redbirds. In their last meeting in Macomb in 2022, both Leatherneck victories came in overtime. This season, Illinois State is currently at a record of 1-2-1.

The Leathernecks have started their season with losses to Iowa State (3-0), Northern Iowa (5-1), and South Dakota State (3-0). Callie McMurtrey scored Western Illinois' first goal of the season against Northern Iowa with an assist from Rachel Balinao. Freshman goalkeeper Ariel Bernard made her debut against South Dakota State with twelve saves.

Western Illinois returns twenty-three players from its previous squad. Notable returners include fifth-year goalkeeper Isabel Navas Rodriguez from Madrid, Spain; fifth-year midfielder Sydnee Sagal from Oconomowoc, WI; junior outside back Hana Daoudi; and sophomore forward Alanna Pennington.

Senior attacker/midfielder Kayla Turner has been highlighted as a player to watch this season. Turner has been with the team for four years and had notable performances during her freshman and junior seasons despite missing most of her sophomore year due to injury.

The team also welcomes seven newcomers for the current season: three junior transfer forwards—Callie McMurtrey from Jefferson College, Autumn Wilson from Cody WY who scored sixteen goals in sixteen games as a sophomore, and Landry McCoid who scored thirty-five goals in seventeen games at Iowa Central CC—and four freshmen including goalkeeper Ariel Bernard.

For further updates on Leatherneck Women's Soccer, visit GoLeathernecks.com or follow them on social media platforms such as X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and Facebook.

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