West Central Reporter

Western Illinois University Men's Soccer team faced a challenging away match against Lindenwood, following their recent victory over Liberty. The Leathernecks aimed to continue their momentum from the one-nil win at John MacKenzie Alumni Field. However, the match against Lindenwood ended in a narrow defeat due to a late penalty, resulting in a one-nil loss for Western Illinois.

The first half of the game saw limited action, with both teams struggling to create significant opportunities. Only three shots were attempted, none of which were on target. A notable moment occurred when Lindenwood's Ethan Blake took a shot from inside the box but missed by over 20 feet.

In the second half, the pace remained slow for both sides. Western Illinois had its first shot on goal from Ty Duax, a 30-yard attempt easily handled by Lindenwood's goalkeeper. As the half progressed, Lindenwood began creating more chances but was met with strong defensive efforts from Western Illinois. Senior captain Joel McIntyre made an important goal-line clearance, and goalkeeper Micah Ramirez recorded several key saves.

Despite Ramirez's excellent save in the 81st minute to deflect a shot, Leevi Swearengen committed a foul in the penalty area shortly after. This led to Ethan Blake converting a penalty kick for Lindenwood, securing their victory as Western Illinois struggled to find any substantial scoring opportunities in the final minutes.

Looking ahead, Western Illinois Men's Soccer will host two crucial matches next week at John MacKenzie Field. They are set to face Southern Indiana on Wednesday and then compete against in-state rival Eastern Illinois University on Sunday afternoon.