Panthers win home opener
Even senior forward Kellie Floyd said her second goal was ugly on Wednesday afternoon.
Floyd goal’s in the 74th minute bounced off some Indiana State defenders in front of the goal box and went through the goalkeeper.
Junior forward Pam Melinauskas was credited with the assist.
Floyd’s goal helped lead the Panthers to a 3-0 win against the Sycamores at Lakeside Field.
“I don’t care how they go in,” Eastern head coach Tim Nowak said. “I just want them to go in.”
Floyd also scored in the 10th minute of the game off a touch from sophomore forward Rachel Hamilton. Hamilton has notched an assist for every game of the season.
Freshman defender Danielle Flynn also assisted on the play for her first collegiate assist. Flynn caught Indiana State (0-3) by surprise when she moved toward the midfield and sent the ball to Hamilton who headed it down to Floyd’s feet.
“Kellie did a good job staying wide and creating the space,” Nowak said. “Kellie kept a lot of composure and put it away.”
Floyd, a Chatham native, recorded her second multi-goal game for the Panthers (2-1). Her first was against Southeast Missouri last year at Lakeside Field.
The Ohio Valley Conference named Floyd the Co-OVC Player of the Year last season. Floyd played in 20 games last season and finished with four goals and five assists.
Floyd said last season she kept her emotions in check for her to be successful on the field.
“I definitely have to remind myself, especially being a senior because the younger players are looking to see all of the senior’s reactions,” Floyd said. “If I react in a negative way, then they’re going to be like, ‘I can do that too.'”
She also told freshman forward Angela Ziemba that it was her turn to score.
It rang true with Floyd assisting on Ziemba’s first collegiate goal.
Floyd lofted the ball over an Indiana State player, over Melinauskas and to Ziemba’s feet.
Ziemba, a Frankfort native scored the point-blank goal in the 81st minute.
“It felt great,” Ziemba said. “I hope there’s more to come.”
Senior forward Michelle Steinhaus also had a multi-goal game earlier this year against Eastern Michigan. Steinhaus had two goals in Eastern’s 3-1 on Aug. 31.
Steinhaus, Floyd and senior midfielder Kathleen Hayes led the offense with three shots.
Steinhaus could have a goal in the first half as well. Her open goal shot went bounced off the crossbar.
Eastern sophomore goalkeeper Jenny Williams made three saves in 90 minutes of play.
Williams almost missed a save that could have changed the game. Luckily, senior midfielder Karisa Brenner swept the ball off the goal line and out of play in the 63rd minute.
“Karisa stepped up for us in a big way.” Floyd said of Brenner’s last-second play. “(The game) could have gone a different way.”
Eastern plays Missouri at 1 p.m. on Sunday in Columbia, Mo.
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Panthers win home opener
Senior Kellie Floyd battles for the ball vs. Indiana State Wednesday afternoon at Lakeside Field. Floyd would go on to score two goals and give an assist in the Panthers victory over the Sycamores 3-0.