No one likes to lose.

But, in the past, some teams have been allowed a margin for error to lose a few games or matches at the end of the season – without fear of elimination.

That is not the case with many of the fall sports programs at Eastern this season.

Special scenarios aside, most teams have to win out the rest of their seasons to mark their season a success and to go to the next level of play.

It’s a cliché statement, but the phrase “destiny is in your own hands” is the best way to describe the approach many of the teams will need to adopt from now until the end, though it is no full-proof insurance policy.

Football is second in the Ohio Valley Conference standings right behind Eastern Kentucky. The Colonels will essentially win this conference if they continue to win, regardless of whether Eastern wins out the three remaining games.

The Colonels are undefeated in the conference and are 6-2 overall. EKU’s remaining opponents OVC records are a combined 6-9. Statistically speaking, Austin Peay, at 3-2, looks like the only real shot at giving the Colonels their only loss in the conference this season.

In Panther volleyball, if Eastern won the last six remaining matches, it would break even with its OVC record at 10-10, but finish with a 17-12 overall record.

But winning out will be no easy challenge for the Panthers, as only two of their next six opponents are currently ranked below them in the standings. They will still need to face the top three ranked teams in the OVC with Jacksonville State (11-3 OVC, 14-7), Morehead State (10-3, 16-8) and Murray State (10-4, 13-11).

Women’s soccer is hanging on to the sixth spot in the OVC standings and will have to win out to make it to the conference tournament. The Panthers (3-4, 6-8-1) have made a tournament appearance every season since they joined the conference in 1998.

The men’s soccer team is probably the only exception to the win-out scenario. It has the highest probability of losing a remaining match and still making the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament.

The team has three matches left until the championship that starts Nov. 14. But with a 1-2-1-conference record, it ranks fifth of seven teams. The top six teams make the tournament.

But men’s soccer does hold an advantage against Missouri State and Western Kentucky – neither MSU nor WSU has yet to win a conference match.

The rugby team at Eastern has no post-season, but pride is still on the line.

Since the inception of the rugby program on campus in 1998, the Panthers have had only one losing season.

Although it is impossible for them to have a losing season this year, they potentially could finish at .500 – something head coach Frank Graziano would consider a losing season.

It may not seem as though it is this late in the season for the fall programs or this dire of a situation for many of the teams, but the reality is there is no turning back for any of the sports.

Losing is not an option for continuing success and not anything I would assume any of these programs are ready to accept.