MACOMB, Ill. - Western Illinois men's soccer head coach Dr. Eric Johnson recently released the team's 2012 schedule, highlighted by nine home matches and seven Summit League contests.

Prior to kicking off the 2012 season, the Leathernecks play host to a pair of exhibition matches against Grand View (Aug. 13) and Quincy (Aug. 18). Western then welcomes a couple of non-conference opponents to Macomb in Granceland (Aug. 24) and Central Arkansas (Aug. 26) to open its 2012 campaign.

The Leathernecks then hit the road for five straight matches. The first three contests of the road trip are at Depaul on August 29, at Valparaiso on September 2, and at Marquette on September 8. The five-game road trip concludes with the UIC (Illinois Chicago) tournament where the Leathernecks play two games, opponents to be determined, on September 14 and 16.

The team then returns home for a two-game homestand where they open Summit League play against Nebraska Omaha on September 22, and host non-conference opponent Northern Kentucky on September 25.

Western then plays four of its next five games on the road, continuing league play at Oakland (Sept. 29) before traveling to Des Moines, Iowa to face the Drake Bulldogs on October 3. The Leathernecks then host Summit League members IPFW on October 6 prior to traveling to face league opponents Eastern Illinois (Oct. 12) and IUPUI (Oct. 20).

A four-game homestand concludes the regular season for the Dr. Johnson and his squad. Western hosts Bradley on October 23, Oral Roberts on October 27, UMKC on November 3, and Belmont on November 4.

The top four Summit League teams will then advance to the 2012 league tournament, with the winner earning an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.

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