INDIANAPOLIS - The IUPUI women's soccer team's defense continued its stingy ways on Sunday (Aug. 28), authoring a third shutout in the season's opening four games to stay undefeated on the year. This time, the Jaguars blanked former league foe Western Illinois in a scoreless draw on an unseasonably warm Sunday at Michael A. Carroll Stadium. The goalkeeping duo of Ashton Kudlo and Cailynn Junk shared the shutout in goal as the IUPUI defense yielded just six shots on the day. 

IUPUI outshot the Leathernecks by a 14-6 margin and earned six corner kicks to the guest's two, but was unable to solve WIU goalkeeper Isabel Navas Rodriguez. 

"I think the freshmen, Smitty and Soph, have come in and they've done their job and they're meshing well with me and (Makenna Collins)," senior Maya Turner said. "They're not afraid to go in on tackles, they're strong on the ball and they're not intimidated by anyone." 

IUPUI bottled up the Western Illinois (0-1-2) attack for most of the day, limiting the guests to just two shots on frame. Kudlo shutdown an Amy Andrews attempt in the fifth minute for her only save of the game and Andrews registered an attempt off the crossbar in the 24th minute. 

The Jaguars built more attempts, but many were from long-distance and easily handled by Rodriguez. Senior Alex Ludolph was the most frequent tester, trying a game-high five attempts from her midfield spot. 

Cassie Rodriguez got in behind the WIU defense in the closing minutes, but was just a step shy of getting on the receiving end of a Sam Slimak cross from the right side. 

Junk's lone save came on a Bailey Burlingham shot in the 62nd minute as the rookie netminder easily corralled the attempt in her season debut. Even when WIU got loose on the counter, Maya Turner and Sophia White repeatedly tracked down the action and forced the play away from target. 

Sarah Henson and Slimak had two shots each for the Jaguars with each putting one on frame. 

"Once we get it figured out defensively, we keep the ball in our (attacking) half, the work is done for us and we kind of just let the forwards do what they do best," Turner said. 

IUPUI will return to action on Friday night (Aug. 2) when the Jaguars take on Belmont at 6:30 p.m. CST (7:30 Eastern) on ESPN3.