DES MOINES, Iowa – The Drake University men's soccer team returns to the Cownie Soccer Complex on Wednesday, Sept. 26 at 7 p.m. when it takes on Western Illinois. Drake then returns to Missouri Valley Conference play Saturday versus Central Arkansas at 4:30 p.m. where the Bulldogs will host Alumni/Faculty Appreciation Night. Both games will be available for streaming via ESPN+.
 
Drake (4-3-1, 0-0-1 MVC) ended its match last Saturday in a 1-1 draw with Loyola,its first tie of the season. Leroy Enzugusi (Marion, Iowa) scored the Bulldogs' lone goal in the 23rd minute, his third goal of the season, which puts him at first in goals scored for the Bulldogs. 
 
Loyola scored late in the second half of regulation to tie the game. Neither team netted the winner through two overtime periods as the match ended as a tie for the second-straight year after a scoreless draw in 2017. Goalkeeper Jared Brown (Aurora, Ontario) totaled eight saves to bring his save percentage up to .816.
 
Western Illinois (2-4-2) won its last game by a score of 1-0 over IUPUI, but in the Leathernecks last three games they have scored just one goal. They have also been held to one goal or fewer in all but one of their eight regular season games. Paul Kirdorf leads the Leathernecks with two goals, followed by three other players tied with one goal each. Drake leads the all-time series 18-8-2, with the last meeting coming in 2017, which Drake won 2-1 on the road in Macomb, Ill.
 
Central Arkansas (3-3-1, 1-0-0 MVC) travels to Tulsa, Okla. Tuesday night to face Oral Roberts before heading to Des Moines. The Bears are led by Niklas Brodacki who has scored six goals this season. Central Arkansas blitzed Bradley, 3-0, in its league opener. Drake narrowly leads the all-time series with the Bears, 5-4-1. Their last meeting was last season when Central Arkansas handed Drake a 3-1 loss in Conway, Ark.
 
Following this week's games, Drake faces Omaha at home on Oct. 6 at 7 p.m. It will be the final home contest of a three-match homestand.