Josée Primeau Head Coach | Western Illinois University Leathernecks Website
Josée Primeau Head Coach | Western Illinois University Leathernecks Website
Western Illinois University Women's Soccer faced off against St. Thomas in their sixth match of the 2024 season on Friday afternoon in St. Paul, Minnesota.
St. Thomas scored two early goals, netting in both the eleventh and eighteenth minutes. The Tommies controlled the first half with ten shots, five on target, and secured four corner kicks while preventing any from Western Illinois. Leatherneck goalkeeper Ariel Bernard made three saves before halftime and finished the game with six.
Towards the end of the first half, Western Illinois had their first significant opportunity when Kayla Turner and Rita Moran executed a solid build-up play. Moran's shot in the 44th minute was saved calmly, leaving St. Thomas ahead 2-0 at halftime.
In the second half, St. Thomas continued to apply pressure with twelve more shots but could not extend their lead beyond 2-0. Western Illinois' best chance came five minutes before full time when Kayla Turner delivered a cross from the left side that was poorly received.
The final statistics showed Western Illinois losing the shot battle 22-2 and shots on goal 8-1, with no corner attempts compared to eight by St. Thomas.
Western Illinois will next play against Drake in Des Moines on Sunday, September 15 at 1 PM.
For more information on Leatherneck Women's Soccer, visit GoLeathernecks.com or follow them on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and Facebook.