The new number 10 in town – freshman midfielder Jerry Maddi – picked up where former number 10, Brad Peters, left off with a goal in his first match at Lakeside Field to lead Eastern to a 1-0 exhibition victory Tuesday against Butler.

Eastern finished the exhibition season 2-0 in a 90-minute match with a planned 10-minute extra period and a shootout, which Eastern won 4-2.

Maddi picked up the matches’ lone goal on a header to the far post in the 59th minute on an assist from freshman midfielder Kendal Spurgin.

“(Spurgin) made a sweet cross, and I just did what I could with it,” Maddi said.

Eastern had a great chance to extend the lead in the 42nd minute when junior forward Alex Harrison hit the crossbar on an open net from 10 yards out. The ball bounced back to Harrison and he tried to head to it, but it was blocked by the Butler defense.

Harrison finished the match with five shots, two of which were on goal.

The Panthers started slow as the Bulldogs (1-1 in exhibition) controlled most of the first 20 minutes, but the defense stepped up after.

Eastern head coach Adam Howarth said the experience of Butler might have been why they were able to take control early.

“After (we) stepped our feet in the central midfielders did especially well,” Howarth said. “I though (Maddi’s) goal was fantastic, and there was a lot of good performances out there.”

Howarth said he thought the team did a great job making last tackles, which they did not do last season.

Maddi said after the first 20 minutes he thought the team played well. He said because the coach kept the same lineup in the game, everyone started to get comfortable and were able to pass it around and keep possession of the ball better than they did.

Eastern’s two goalkeepers, freshman Shailer Thomas and junior transfer Sean Molony combined for a shutout in their first match at Lakeside Field.

Thomas played in the first half and made three saves. He also played in the shootout and made two saves as well. Molony played the entire second half making one save, while also making one save in the overtime period.

Molony said although it always is great to get a shutout, he thought Eastern’s defenders played well.

“They kept the ball real well and made some creative runs up top, but (junior midfielder Darby) Kehoe and (senior defender Jeff) Kupiec did a nice job staying organized,” Molony said. “We got a nice effort from (junior defender Kyle Zumski) and (junior defender Matt) Crowley as well. We did a nice job keeping everything in front of us.”

Thomas said the defense did a good job keeping shots to the outside and from farther out, which allowed easier saves for the goalkeepers.

Eastern won the shootout after the match by converting four penalty shots while the Bulldogs could only net two.

Kupiec, Maddie, Zumski and sophomore midfielder Ryan Child all converted their tries for the Panthers.

Child was the final Panther to shoot and tricked Butler senior goalkeeper Fabian Knopfler by running up to the ball at full speed then tapping it right over Knopfler’s head.

Eastern will start its regular season against Valparaiso 5 p.m. Tuesday at Lakeside Field.

Dan Cusack can be reached at 581-7944 or at dscusack@eiu.edu.