West Central Reporter

Western Illinois University's men's soccer team, the Leathernecks, is preparing for a challenging week in the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC). They will host Liberty at John MacKenzie Alumni Field in Macomb, Illinois on October 10, before traveling to St. Charles, Missouri to face Lindenwood on October 13.

The upcoming match against Liberty marks a rematch from their recent encounter on September 28. In that game, Liberty led with one goal by halftime but dominated the second half with six goals. Western Illinois has since struggled defensively, conceding 11 goals while scoring only twice over three games.

Lindenwood is having a strong season with a record of 6-4-1 and currently ranks third in the OVC standings. Their previous meetings with the Leathernecks include a victory for Western Illinois in 2022 and a draw last season. Lindenwood recently achieved shutout victories against Southern Indiana and Eastern Illinois.

Western Illinois is facing difficulties this season, having lost their first three OVC matches. They are allowing an average of 2.33 goals per game, which ranks them third-highest in the conference for goals conceded. The team's offensive efforts have been limited lately as they managed only five shot attempts each in recent matches against Incarnate Word and Houston Christian.

Despite these challenges, Western Illinois players have received recognition for their performances earlier in the season. Freshman goalkeeper Alexis Michaud was named Goalkeeper of the Week after achieving a clean sheet against Northern Illinois. Joel McIntyre earned Co-Defensive Player of the Week honors for his role in securing that shutout win. Senior midfielder Jimmy Baars was awarded Offensive Player of the Week after scoring two goals.

Baars was also highlighted as an OVC Player to Watch before the season began due to his contributions last year when he made seven starts and recorded nine shots over 14 appearances.

For updates on Western Illinois men's soccer activities and results, fans can visit GoLeathernecks.com or follow them on social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and Facebook.