The scoreboard for the men’s soccer team was inflated after a 4-2 win Sunday against Indiana-Purdue-Fort Wayne at Lakeside Field, but a look at the box score had even higher numbers.

The Panthers had 23 fouls in the match and three yellow cards. A constant penalty for both sides was offside as Eastern was whistled for the penalty eight times.

Eastern head coach Adam Howarth said the team noticed it was a problem during the match.

“We talked about it at halftime, making sure the players stayed onside,” Howarth said. “There was a couple times where they were going back and forth. I think it got better in the second half with (freshman forward Kyle) Bullock setting the pace getting back, especially with those two goals.”

Bullock got the Panthers going in the second half with a breakaway goal after beating a Mastodon center back.

Ready for conference play

Eastern will begin the Missouri Valley Conference portion of its schedule Wednesday as it hosts Evansville at Lakeside Field. This will only be the second time this season the Panthers will play a mid-week match.

Eastern hosted Valparaiso to open the season Sept. 1, at Lakeside Field and lost 2-0.

Howarth said the team came out flat in the first half of the game against the Crusaders.

“It is always tough because you are in class and you have to go out to your game,” Howarth said. “I don’t think there will be any problem getting up for our big conference game.”

Harrison gets on board

Junior forward Alex Harrison did not have the same start as he did in the goal department last season.

After finishing the year with eight goals last season, Harrison was shut out the first six matches this year before scoring Eastern’s first goal against IPFW.

But that did not mean he was not vital to the Panthers offense early on. Harrison leads the team with four assists already this season, notching one in each of the last four games.

“That is the great thing about (Harrison),” Howarth said. “He is always going to be around the box and he is always going to create chances. It is always tough getting that first one and now that he has it off his back I think he will go strength to strength creating goals and hopefully scoring a few too.”

Around the MVC

The MVC improved its non-conference record to 23-12-6 after going 5-2-1 over the weekend.

The MVC is also well represented in both the National and Regional polls of the National Soccer Coaches Association of America.

Creighton was ranked No. 17 in the national poll as Drake and Evansville both received votes. Every MVC team except Eastern was represented on the Midwest Region Top 10 Poll with Drake No. 2, Missouri State No. 6, Bradley No. 7, Creighton No. 8 and Evansville No. 9.

Eastern will face the hottest team in the conference, Evansville, Wednesday. The Aces are unbeaten in their last five matches. The Purple Aces beat Western Illinois 4-2 Friday.

Creighton went 1-1 this week with a win against Washington and a loss against Portland at the Husky Fever Classic.

Drake swept the Player of the Week Honors after forcing a 2-2 tie against Northwestern. Senior forward Garrett Webb won Offensive Player of the Week for a goal and an assist in the match. Senior defender Calvin Clark was named Defensive Player of the Week for his role in the match.

Bullock was named honorable mention for Offensive Player of the Week for his two goals Sunday.

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

Junior defender Trevor Kohlrus approaches the ball during the Eastern men’s soccer team’s 4-2 victory over Indiana-Purdue-Fort Wayne Sunday at Lakeside Field.(Chelsea Grady/The Daily Eastern News)

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