The Panthers take on two state rivals this weekend and also open the home portion of their schedule.

DePaul (1-1) and Loyola (2-0) venture to Lakeside Field, where Eastern will try and make sure those two teams leave Lakeside Field without a win-and also a historic win.

Eastern will be looking for the program’s 70th win at Lakeside Field. But DePaul and Loyola hope that doesn’t happen. Eastern holds a 69-21-5 record at Lakeside Field.

“We hope we play well, and we’ll get our chances,” said DePaul head coach James Wilson.

Chances are something that DePaul capitalized on last season, as the Blue Demons handed Eastern a 1-0 loss, scoring a goal in the final 20 seconds of regulation.

“DePaul has a lot of class power,” said senior defender Kristy DeClark.

Going into unfamiliar surroundings is something that doesn’t scare the DePaul players.

“My players love going on the road,” Wilson said. “We like to get focused on our game and not get distracted.”

The last time the Panthers played at Lakeside Field it resulted in a 1-0 loss in the Ohio Valley Conference final to Samford.

“To play on our field is really nice,” said Eastern head coach Tim Nowak. “Our players get excited playing at home; we’re excited about the challenge our players are going to have to face.”

Eastern has dropped two the last three games against DePaul. All the games have been decided by one goal.

“It’s going to be a rivalry,” Wilson said.

In 2004, Eastern beat DePaul 3-2. In 2003 the Blue Demons beat the Panthers 2-1 in overtime.

“Tim’s teams are very well trained, physical and well-disciplined,” Wilson said. “We’re very evenly matched.”

DePaul was predicted to finish sixth in the National Division of the Big East Conference.

“DePaul’s got some very good size,” Nowak said.

Nowak is not concerned with the program’s 70th win, no matter who the opponent is.

“It’s another game,” Nowak said. “We played an exhibition game and we treated it like a home game. We’re approaching it as the third game on the regular season schedule.”

Freshman defender AJ Brewer watches as Laura Ridolfi, a freshman midfielder, kicks the ball away during practice Wednesday afternoon. John Bailey/The Daily Eastern News

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