The women’s soccer team will face an old foe in 2008.

The Panthers are scheduled to play powerhouse Purdue University for the first time in six years.

Eastern’s last game against the Boilermakers was a November 15, 2002, loss in the Nation Collegiate Athletic Association College Cup, 2-1.

Head women’s soccer coach Tim Nowak said he personally knows the coaches at Purdue, and talks frequently with them. He was able to pencil in the Boilermakers on Aug. 26 at West Lafayette, Ind.

According to the Rating Percentage Index- a combination of a team’s winning percentage, opponents average winning percentage and their opponents winning percentage- Purdue was ranked 43 in 2006 and 13 in 2007 out of 314 teams.

Eastern has been ranked 204 and 161 the past two seasons, respectively.

In the last three years, Purdue’s scoring has nearly doubled from 35 goals forced in 2005 to 65 goals last season. Purdue also passes extremely well with 57 assists last season.

The Boilermakers defense allowed just 12 goals and 11 assists last year while opponents’ shot percentage was a meager .059.

Despite Purdue’s credentials, Nowak said his team will benefit from playing an accomplished opponent.

“In order to play well in conference, you have to play the toughest teams to be best prepared physically and mentally,” Nowak said. “Non-conference teams show us different skills.”

The Panthers will also face Northern Illinois University in the Northern Illinois Tournament on Aug. 29. This will be their first match since 1996 when the Panthers won 4-1.

Nowak said that many Panthers and Huskies players know each other.

“It’s nice to play teams in state,” Nowak said. “It maybe provides something extra (to the game).”

One team that is consistently on Eastern’s schedule is Illinois State University. The Redbirds have won four out of five contests against the Panthers in the last five years.

Nowak said he isn’t worried about this trend continuing. He noted that three of those loses were one-goal games.

“They don’t do anything special against us,” he said. “It shows we both are good teams that are competitive.”

In the past three seasons, the Panthers haven’t scored more than 26 goals a year with only 18 goals scored in 2005. Nowak said that his team doesn’t have a defensive or offensive style of play. He builds around the strengths of the personnel he has.

Nowak did say he hopes the Panthers will play good defense. Defense is the key to gaining more attacks, he said.

Eastern has a balanced team with eight recruits, while having nine juniors and seniors on the team. Nowak hopes that his team would come together in a short training camp.

“We have only two weeks before we play,” he said. “We have to gel and know our roles before the season.”

Bob Bajek can be reached at 581-7944 or at rtbajek@eiu.edu.