West Central Reporter

Western Illinois University's women's soccer team is preparing for its Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) matches against Southeastern Missouri State and Morehead State. The Leathernecks will face Southeastern Missouri State on Thursday, September 21, at John MacKenzie Alumni Field in Macomb, Illinois. This game marks the first encounter between these teams in over two decades. Western holds a balanced record of 2-2-0 against the Redhawks from previous meetings between 1999 and 2001.

On Sunday, September 24, the Leathernecks will travel to Morehead, Kentucky, to play Morehead State. This will be only their second meeting after Western's victory in 2001 with a score of 4-2.

Southeastern Missouri State enters the matchup with a strong start this season, holding a record of 4-2-1. Sophomore forward Cayla Koerner leads the OVC in points with three goals and three assists in seven games. Goalkeeper Sofia Elfrink tops the conference with three shutouts so far.

Morehead State has had a challenging start with a record of 2-4-3 but recently secured their first conference win against Little Rock. Midfielder Colleen Swift has contributed significantly to her team's offense.

Western Illinois currently stands at a record of 2-4-1 this season. The young squad has seen significant contributions from underclassmen like freshmen Alanna Pennington and Kelsi McThenia, who have each scored two goals. Goalkeeper Isabel Navas Rodriguez received recognition early in the season by earning consecutive OVC Goalkeeper of the Week awards.

Following these matches, Western Illinois will continue its OVC schedule against UT Martin on October 1.