Friday was a day of firsts for Eastern.

For the first time this season senior goalkeeper Mark Hansen did not start in goal.

For the first time in their collegiate careers freshman defender Ben Friesen and freshman forward Darby Kehoe recorded points.

But for the seventh time this season, men’s soccer recorded a victory.

The Panthers (7-2-1) defeated Indiana University-Purdue Fort Wayne 2-0 on Friday at Lakeside Field.

Sophomore goalkeeper Nick Alexander made his first start of the season and recorded his first shutout of the year.

“It feels good not to let my teammates down,” Alexander said. “It felt great to be back in goal.”

Alexander finished the game with three saves for his second shutout of his collegiate career.

Another first came in the 64th minute as Friesen notched his first collegiate goal and giving the Panthers a 1-0 lead.

The goal came as junior defender Eddie Barnes kicked a corner from the right side. The ball bounced around the box and was played by senior midfielder Mick Galeski. The ball went to Barnes who beat IPFW goalkeeper Michael Knitter from the center of the box.

“Eddie (Barnes) played a corner,” Friesen said. “Mick hit it and it hit me on the left foot. I bounced it off, kicked it with my right and it went in.”

The Panthers added another goal in the 82nd minute when Brad Peters scored his fourth goal of the season off Darby Kehoe and Mick Galeski’s assist.

The assist was the first of Kehoe’s career and the third of the season for Galeski.

Peters had plenty of chances to score all day. In the 17th minute, the junior beat the goalie with a shot on the left side only to have the ball hit the far post where the ball stopped and laid against the post.

IPFW was able to come to the ball and clear the ball before the Panthers had another chance to knock it in.

In the 49th minute Peters shot from the right side just missed off the left after a pass from sophomore forward Evan Philpott.

Peters finally found the back of the goal after Kehoe’s through ball to Peters, where the junior turned and beat the goalie with a strike from twelve yards out for his fourth goal of the season.

Friday was Eastern’s sixth shutout of the season, with sophomore defender Nick Bonachker, junior defender Adam Gartner, junior defender Eddie Barnes, and Friesen all playing vital roles.

Friesen came in for sophomore defender Chris Pearson after he was injured in the 22nd minute.

The defenders limited the Mastodons to six shots, while the Panthers had 21.

IPFW head coach Mike Harper was not happy with his team’s performance.

“Our effort wasn’t there and we were not mentally prepared,” Harper said. “As a team, that was a weak performance.”

Eastern head coach Adam Howarth was happy how his team came out in the second half.

“In the second half we played with urgency,” Howarth said. “We were frustrating them and played very well.”

The Panthers next game will be 7 p.m. Wednesday against Alabama-Birmingham in Birmingham, Ala.

Mike Lewis, junior midfielder, fights for the ball against Indiana Purdue Fort Wayne Friday afternoon at Lakeside Field. Amir Prellberg/The Daily Eastern News

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