Bradley University Athletics

Soccer Renews Local Rivalry, Welcomes Western Illinois

The series against the Leathernecks dates back to the third game in Bradley Soccer's NCAA history

Alex Garcia in action versus Fairleigh Dickinson Sept. 2, 2016

Bradley University Marketing

Bradley senior midfielder Alex Garcia is one of six players from Peoria Notre Dame High School appearing on the Bradley and Western Illinois rosters

Bobby Parker, Associate AD for Communications Soccer 9/19/2016 5:34:00 PM

Sandwiched between a pair of weekend Missouri Valley Conference games, Bradley Soccer will step outside of the league to face local rival Western Illinois (3-3-1) in a 7 p.m. clash Tuesday night at Shea Stadium. The Braves (1-5-1) will be trying to snap a 4-game overall losing streak and 3-game slide at Shea Stadium, their longest home skid since dropping three straight in 2010. Tuesday's game against the Leathernecks will renew Bradley's oldest active series and the most-played non-conference series in program history.

Tuesday's game against the Leathernecks will be televised through The Valley on ESPN3. Tickets are $6 for adults, $3 for children (K-8) and free for Bradley University students, faculty and staff, as well as active members of the military and their immediate family members.

LINKS
The Valley on ESPN3 | Live Stats

COACHES
Bradley
Jim DeRose (Johnson State '89)
Career Record: 222-162-41 (21st season)
at Bradley: Same
vs. Western Illinois: 11-5-1

Western Illinois
Dr. Eric Johnson (Calvin College '80)
Career Record: 203-235-40
at Western Illinois: 160-182-36 (20th season)
vs. Bradley: 4-11-1

WESTERN ILLINOIS SERIES HISTORY
Bradley Soccer will renew its oldest NCAA Division I rivalry when the Braves host Western Illinois Tuesday night at Shea Stadium ... The series against the Leathernecks is the most-played non-conference series in program history and dates back to Bradley's third game as a NCAA Division I program Sept. 6, 1987 ... Tuesday's game will be the 27th meeting in the all-time series, which Bradley leads by a 15-10-1 count ... Since Bradley won eight in a row from 1997-2005, however, Western Illinois is 4-3-1 in the last eight meetings against the Braves and the Leathernecks have won two straight versus Bradley for the first time since taking the first two games in the series in 1987 and 1988.

HIGH SCHOOL CONNECTIONS
Tuesday's matchup of local rivals will feature a significant Peoria Notre Dame High School theme ... Both rosters feature three players from Peoria Notre Dame: Bradley's Alex Garcia, Grayson McGraw and TJ Rea; WIU's Nick Arnold, Ben Fiddes and Drew Whalen ... In addition to the six players from PND, Bradley's Buseese Lwanga and WIU's Armel Kouassi both attended Homewood-Flossmoor HS, while Bradley keeper Nathan Wisbey and Western netminder Tim Trilk both are Rockford Boylan Catholic grads.

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