West Central Reporter

Western Illinois University’s women’s soccer team is preparing for two upcoming matches against Drake University and the University of Northern Iowa. The games are scheduled for August 21 in Macomb, Illinois, and August 24 in Cedar Falls, Iowa.

The Leathernecks began their season with a 2-0 win over Saint Ambrose. Fifth-year midfielder Kayla Turner scored both goals within 38 minutes and had three shots overall, converting both attempts on target. This victory marked the first win for head coach Ross Henderson at Western Illinois and was the program's first season-opening win since 2019.

Fifth-year defender Daniela Gularte played her debut match for Western Illinois after transferring from Clayton State, where she previously played under Coach Henderson. She played all 90 minutes, contributing to the team's defensive efforts with consistent communication and energy.

Sophomore goalkeeper Ariel Bernard recorded her first collegiate shutout during the match against Saint Ambrose, making two saves and providing stability in goal.

Drake enters Thursday’s match with a record of 0-1-1 following a home loss to South Dakota by a score of 2-1. South Dakota scored both goals in the first half. Earlier this week, Drake was named the preseason favorite in the Missouri Valley Conference.

Northern Iowa also holds a record of 0-1-1 after tying South Dakota in its opener and losing to Milwaukee, last year’s Horizon League champion, by four goals.

Coach Ross Henderson commented on his team’s start: "This win marked the first win of Ross Henderson's coaching career at Western Illinois, and it was the first time since 2019 that the team had started 1-0."

For updates on Western Illinois women’s soccer, information is available at GoLeathernecks.com as well as on social media platforms X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and Facebook.