The Eastern women’s soccer team has struggled to score through four games this season, as the Panthers have scored one goal in compiling a 0-3-1 record.

However, if history is any indicator, the trend should change this weekend.

The Panthers return home this weekend for the first time all season with back-to-back games against Wright State and Eastern Michigan this Friday and Sunday, respectively.

Over the past two years, the Panthers have had a much better record at home than on the road, and the team looks to build off that success with wins this weekend.

Senior midfielder Pam Melinauskas said she is looking forward to playing at home and feels confident that the Panthers will be able to get in the win column this weekend.

“It’s exciting to get our home opener and hopefully get a win on our schedule,” Melinauskas said. “The atmosphere (at home) is awesome with all of our friends and family there.”

In 2006 the team finished the year a very respectable 5-2-3 at home compared to 3-4-2 on the road.

Last year was more of the same as the team went 5-3-1 at home and just 3-8-0 on the road. And while it’s not uncommon for teams to have more success at home than on the road, it is still necessary for a team to play competitively on the road, and Nowak said he believes his team can do that.

“I think we play one of the toughest non-conference schedules in the conference,” Nowak said. “I feel that putting these tough games on our schedule will help us in the big picture, which is obviously winning the conference.”

After the weekend, the Panthers return to the road for another four-game, two-week trip, culminating with the Ohio Valley Conference season opener Sept. 26 at Tennessee Martin.

Despite the long periods of time on the road, Nowak said that he believes these long trips are beneficial to the team.

“There are a lot of reasons that getting out on the road is a good thing,” Nowak said. “You do a lot of team-building and bonding on these trips, and these are great games for us.”

Along with Tennessee Martin, the Panthers must travel to Jacksonville State, Tennessee Tech, and Austin Peay in OVC play.

However, the team catches a break as the two teams pegged to finish ahead of them in the OVC preseason coaches poll, Murray State and Southeast Missouri, both must travel to Charleston to play the Panthers at Lakeside Soccer Field.

Taking advantage of those home games in the OVC is paramount to Eastern’s success this season.

Collin Whitchurch can be reached at 581-7944 or at cfwhitchurch@eiu.edu