WEDNESDAY'S SCORES
@Western Illinois 2, Southern Indiana 0
WESTERN ILLNOIS 2, SOUTHERN INDIANA 0
MACOMB, Ill. - 360 minutes of Western Illinois University Men's Soccer have been played at John MacKenzie Alumni Field in 2024, and the Leathernecks are still yet to allow a goal in their home territory.
The Leathernecks squared off with Southern Indiana on Wednesday night, with both sides eager to pick up points. USI and WIU entered the match in sixth and seventh places, respectively, making it a key opportunity for either team to climb up the standings. After holding on for over 80 minutes, the Leathernecks went ahead as freshman Tyler Philpott buried a shot to give WIU a late lead. Henrry Abarca-Gonzalez capitalized on a defensive lapse from USI and made it 2-0 in the 87th, giving WIU yet another home victory.
Western Illinois started aggressively in the match, as a pair of shots from Gabe Chapa and Diego Porras were saved inside the five-minute mark. The Screaming Eagles had a great chance in the eighth minute, as they fired off a pair of shots, but both were blocked by Western Illinois defenders.
The two sides went on to play a back-and-forth first half, with both teams having chances, but each team's defense held on until the half-time whistle.
In the second period, the Leathernecks dominated on the attacking end, out-shooting USI 12-4. From the 51st minute until the 62nd, the Leathernecks recorded five shot attempts and three corners but were unable to convert the chances into goals. Diego Porras made a few great attempts cutting in from the right wing, and Ryan Wrobleski nearly took the lead off of a corner, but USI's defense did well to keep the Leathernecks off the scoreboard.
USI got a pair of corner kicks with just 12 minutes remaining, but the goose eggs stayed on the board. Finally, in the 81st minute, Abarca-Gonzalez knocked down a long ball with his head, beat his defender, and played in a great ball to Philpott, who buried it home for the Leatherneck lead. The goal was Philpott's second game-winner of the season, as he also scored the winner at Gonzaga.
After a ball was misplayed out of the back by a USI defender, Abarca-Gonzalez found himself in the right place at the right time, first-timing it into the back of the net for a two-nil lead. The freshman's goal was the first of his collegiate career.
WIU held on for the win, improving to 7-7-1 on the year and 2-4 in OVC play. They move up into sixth place in the conference, a good position to be in ahead of Sunday's matchup with Eastern Illinois in Macomb.