When Eastern head coach Lori Bennett walked outside the locker room after Friday night’s loss to Tennessee-Martin, a flux of emotions was on her face.

But two emotions were most prominent: frustration and disappointment.

Her words backed up her disposition.

“There’s not a whole lot of coaching that can help what is happening out there on the court,” Bennett said.

Bennett furthered her explanation by saying letting tip balls over the net for a score and unforced errors are hurting the team.

She said they are essentially beating themselves.

The Panthers played Murray State on Saturday and were swept 3-0. That put the Panthers at a six-match losing streak.

Senior outside hitter Eliza Zwettler said the losing streak has not yet really fazed the Panthers as there is still plenty of time to turn things around.

“Obviously, it’s depressing and upsetting to lose, but the great thing about this year’s (Ohio Valley Conference) schedule is that we play all the teams twice, so we still have a shot at the conference tournament,” she said.

Looking to improve

Bennett, Zwettler and senior setter Maren Crabtree have all said the same thing the past few weeks pertaining to the recent losing streak: they need to stop making unforced errors.

“Against Murray we made too many unforced errors,” Zwettler said. “We kept the ball in play and Murray who is really, really good at defense, kept digging the ball and that tired us out.”

After the UT-Martin loss, Bennett said the Panthers need to stop playing not to lose and to start playing to win. Zwettler echoed her coaches’ comments.

“We need to play to win and play unafraid,” she said.

Crabtree said after the loss to Murray State Saturday that the Panthers should have stayed more focused.

Home advantage?

Many of the Panthers had spoke about how playing at Lantz Arena would be an advantage to them before the UT-Martin match last Friday.

Junior middle hitter Lauren Sopcic as well as freshman outside hitter Kelsey Orr said playing in front of a home crowd helps energize the team.

But the losing skid has followed the Panthers home.

The Panthers started this season strong at home, going 3-0. But now with the past three matches at home and being losses, the Panthers now sit at a 3-3 home record.

Zwettler agreed it is nice to play at home, but that the atmosphere and location should not be that important.

“It shouldn’t matter where you play,” she said. “We need to have more focus and we usually don’t pay too much attention to the environment around us.”

The Panthers still have two more home matches left on their five-match home stand. They will play OVC opponents Eastern Kentucky Friday and Morehead State Saturday. Eastern Kentucky also still winless in the OVC and have only won one match this season and it is 1-13.

Morehead State on the other hand is the best team in the OVC currently in the standings with a 10-5 overall record and undefeated along with Jacksonville State in the OVC. The Eagles are 4-0.

Special guests in attendance at Lantz Arena

The Murray State’s match had President Bill Perry and Interim Athletic Director Ken Baker in attendance among part of the home crowd.

A majority of the Panthers said they did not notice Perry. But Zwettler said she has noticed Baker at almost every home match.

“Baker has been at almost every home match this season if not every one,” she said. “He has come out to talk to us before the match telling us to go out on the court and play hard and that is always encouraging for us.”