GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Drake University men's soccer team plays at Green Bay on Wednesday night at 6 p.m. Following the road match, Drake (0-4-0) will host its Missouri Valley Conference opener against league newcomer Valparaiso on Saturday at 7 p.m. Saturday's MVC match will be broadcast on The Valley on ESPN3.
 
Drake battled a tough Western Michigan squad in its home opener on Sunday at the Cownie Soccer Complex. Western Michigan, which edged Drake, 2-1, to improve to 5-0-1, claimed a 2-1 victory at then No. 15 Butler two days before the match against the Bulldogs. Senior Mason Leonard (Overland Park, Kan.) converted a late penalty kick for Drake, but the team was unable to get the equalizer. Leonard and junior Ryan Merideth (East Moline, Ill.) have the only goals this year for the Bulldogs as Merideth's first career goal came in a 3-1 road loss at DePaul last Friday.
 
Green Bay (2-0-2) has defeated Milwaukee and Western Illinois with its two ties coming to Eastern Illinois and Fort Wayne. Audi Jepson has scored five goals this year, which leads the Horizon League and ranks 15^th in the nation. Valparaiso (2-2-1) is off to a strong start in its first season in The Valley. The Crusaders knocked off preseason favorite, Loyola, 2-1, on Sept. 1 in Chicago. Valpo had its two-match winning streak snapped by former MVC member SIUE in overtime by a score of 1-0 on Sept. 9.
 
Following the Valparaiso match, Drake will travel to Western Illinois on Sept. 20. First kick against the Leathernecks will be 4 p.m.