West Central Reporter

Western Illinois University's men's soccer team is preparing for two upcoming matches, one on the road against UIC in Chicago and another at home versus IU Indianapolis. The Leathernecks will play UIC on September 11 at 7:00 p.m. in Chicago, followed by a home game against IU Indy on September 16 at 4:00 p.m. in Macomb.

The team's recent defensive efforts have been notable, conceding only four goals over their last three games. This improvement has kept them competitive in each contest. Continued strong performances from goalkeeper Micah Ramirez are expected to be important as the team faces more away games.

Junior forward Xavier Gagnon was recognized this week for his offensive contributions, earning Ohio Valley Conference Offensive Player of the Week honors. Gagnon scored two goals and provided an assist over two games, helping lead Western Illinois to a win against Bradley. "This week, a spark of offense is fueling the Western Illinois men's soccer team, as junior forward Xavier Gagnon earned Ohio Valley Conference Offensive Player of the Week honors after a brilliant showing this past week. Gagnon tallied two goals and an assist, amassing five points to lead the Leathernecks' offense across two games with one resulting in a win against Bradley," according to the team.

In their recent match against Green Bay, Western Illinois created several scoring opportunities but were unable to convert them into goals, ultimately losing 1–0 despite outshooting their opponent both overall and on target.

UIC enters Thursday's matchup with an unbeaten record of 4-0-1 and has averaged nearly three goals per game while holding opponents under one goal per match this season. Disrupting UIC's rhythm will be key for Western Illinois as they face a team that has already scored 14 goals so far.

IU Indianapolis comes into next week's game with a record of 2-2-2 overall and has performed well on the road with wins over Butler and Southern Indiana but recently lost to Northern Illinois.

Fans can follow updates about Western Illinois men's soccer through GoLeathernecks.com or via social media platforms including X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and Facebook.