Each season the Missouri Athletic Club honors the top Division I male and female soccer player in the country with the Hermann Trophy for soccer’s version.

University of Alabama-Birmingham junior midfielder Dejan Jakovich is a candidate for the award.

However, Wednesday night’s game between UAB and Eastern belonged to senior midfielder Mick Galeski.

“If Dejan is one of the top players in the country Mick should be up there because he outplayed him tonight,” Eastern head coach Adam Howarth said.

Galeski scored two goals and was all across the field in the Panthers 2-2 double overtime tie against the Blazers (5-4-1).

Jakovich managed one goal on four shots.

Galeski tied the score in the 80th minute as the Blackburn, England, native scored his fourth goal of the season off a free kick from junior defender Adam Garter.

“It was a free kick from the left side. Gartner kicked in it, and I just beat my man and headed it to the back of the goal,” Galeski said.

UAB scored in the 75th minute as sophomore defender Sibusiso Macwele beat junior goalkeeper Nick Alexander for his first goal of the season of a free kick after an Eastern defender slipped.

Galeski tied the game at one with his third goal of the season. The senior received a pass from freshman forward Alex Harrison and beat the goaltender from 23 yards out to the upper part of the net in the 47th minute.

“We spread the ball out to the left,” Galeski said. “Alex gave me a pass to the middle and I kicked it from about 25 yards out. It was one of the best shots of my life.”

Jakovich broke a scoreless tie scoring a header off a free kick in the 10th minute.

One concern coming into the game for the Panthers was the injuries to defenders sophomore Chris Pearson and senior Jeremy Maubach. The two suffered injuries in a 2-0 victory against Indiana-Purdue Fort Wayne Friday and were not able to play against UAB.

Howarth said the backline played well replacing the two injured starters.

“Defensively we played superb,” Howarth said. “I happy with how the guys that came in played.”

Key members of the backline were defenders sophomore Nick Bonacker and freshman Ben Friesen. The two played all 110 minutes.

Bonacker said the backline stepped it up Wednesday.

“We played really well as a backline,” Bonacker said. “We stepped it up and covered up well.”

Howarth said although the teams tied, Eastern was the better team.

“Both of their goals were off of free kicks,” Howarth said. “Realistically, we were the better team. We just got some unfortunate calls.”

Sophomore defender Nick Bonaker said the referees called a tight game.

“A lot of calls were weak calls when we were trying to match up 40 yards out,” Bonaker said.

The Panthers (7-2-2) next game will be at 3:30 p.m. Sunday against Valparaiso at Lakeside Field.