West Central Reporter

Western Illinois University’s soccer team, the Leathernecks, secured their third point of the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) season with a 1-1 draw against UT-Martin on Sunday. This match marked the first time Western scored and conceded goals in conference play this season, following two previous goalless draws.

The game began with UT-Martin aggressively attacking, earning three corner kicks within the first five minutes. Despite these early opportunities, the Skyhawks were unable to capitalize as Western's defense held firm. The Leathernecks blocked a total of eleven shots throughout the match, showcasing their strong defensive capabilities.

In a pivotal moment just before halftime, senior Maddie Hasken delivered a precise pass to Kayla Turner. Turner then scored her first goal for Western since 2021 after her shot was deflected by the Skyhawk goalkeeper but ultimately found its way into the net. This gave Western a 1-0 lead at halftime.

UT-Martin intensified their efforts in the second half and managed to equalize in the 75th minute despite multiple saves by Leatherneck goalkeeper Isabel Navas Rodriguez earlier in the period. The match concluded with both teams sharing points from a 1-1 draw.

As it stands, Western Illinois has drawn all three of their OVC matches this season while UT-Martin holds a record of 0-1-2 in conference play. Looking ahead, Western Illinois is set to host Southern Indiana on Thursday before traveling to face Tennessee Tech on Sunday.