Looking at the Panthers 2005 scoring statistics against their stats this season they are similar. Except the Panthers (7-2) still have half their season remaining as they have nine regular season games left on the schedule.

Sophomore striker Brad Peters has already tied Jimmy Klatter’s scoring mark last season. However, Peters has scored his seven goals on just 35 shots as opposed to the 60 shots it took Klatter to get his seven goals.

Peters’ has blossomed in his starting striker spot, improving his goal scoring percentage from 3 percent last year, when he needed 32 shots to score just one goal, to 20 percent this season.

Klatter’s scoring percentage of 11 percent earned him a first-team all Missouri Valley Conference selection and a second team NSCAA all-regional bid in 2005.

While Klatter scored six of his goals in just two games with hat tricks against Longwood and Evansville, Peters has spread out his goals, contributing scores in five of the Panthers seven victories while also recording a hat trick against IPFW. Peters has three game winning goals this year, the same amount as Klatter had last year.

Peter’s shot selection is also much better than Klatter’s was last season.

Peter’s has scored on seven of his 25 shots on goal, but Klatter needed 40 shots on goal to tally his seven scores.

The shots on goal, SOG, statistical category includes only the player’s shots that needed to be stopped by the goalie. Shots in general can include balls that go wide left, right or over the crossbar, but only shots on target are considered SOG.

Junior Brad Earl, the leading returning scorer from last year, has already matched his 2005 performance.

Earl scored four goals on 21 shots in 2005 and he has almost exactly the same marks this season with four goals on 19 shots, including two game winners.

However, with all these statistical similarities between last year and this season, there is one major difference: win total.

The 2006 Panthers have a two-win advantage in half as many games.

Extra Time

With eight days rest before its next game at IUPUI, head coach Adam Howarth has decided to schedule an intra-squad scrimmage Friday afternoon. Howarth feels it is important to try and re-create the game environment as best as possible during a relatively long lay-off.

Absence of Injuries

The Panthers have been lucky this season on an injury standpoint, with only one starter missing time. Senior Mike Comiskey has not started since Sept. 3 when he bruised his ribs during a collision with an opponent during Eastern’s game at home against Missouri-Kansas City.

After missing a three-game stretch including IPFW, Loyola (Chicago) and Western Illinois, the midfielder was able to come off the bench in both game this weekend at the Wisconsin-Green Bay Classic.

Howarth attributes the lack of muscle pulls and strains to the shape his team was in when they entered camp in the summer.

“They were a lot fitter this year,” Howarth said. “This team might be the most fit team I have had. Coming in fit and healthy helps fighting off new injuries.”

Of course Howarth does not want to jinx his teams health, saying “We have to keep our fingers, legs and everything else crossed.”