The Eastern men’s soccer team has a simple goal when they travel to Missouri State this weekend.

Cut down little mistakes.

The Panthers lost 2-0 to Evansville in their Missouri Valley Conference opener Wednesday at Lakeside Field.

Eastern allowed a first half goal off a free kick and a second half goal off a run, which was started by a throw-in.

The Panthers have a chance to correct those mistakes against Missouri State at 1 p.m. Sunday in Springfield, Mo.

Eastern head coach Adam Howarth said he thought the team played well as a whole, but it must improve on its focus.

“I thought we did a good job defensively,” Howarth said. “We took a team that scored a crapload of goals in the last few weeks and the two goals were mistakes that were kind of on our part. I’m not upset with how we played defensively, I think we have played well defensively all year, we just have to put our chances away on Sunday.”

He said the team would focus on cutting down on little mistakes by working on game situations in practice and emphasizing focus on assignments.

Missouri State (4-2-1, 1-0-0 MVC) enters the match as one of the top teams in the conference. The Bears have already defeated MVC preseason favorite, Creighton, on the road. Creighton was ranked sixth in the nation when the Bears won.

They are led by sophomore midfielder Heath Melugin who leads the team with seven points, three goals and one assist.

Howarth said this is going to be another tough match against a quality MVC opponent.

Senior midfielder Evan Philpott said he remembers the team from last season and still has a bad taste in his mouth last year’s from the overtime loss at Missouri State.

“We know that they are a quality team,” Philpott said. “They are going to bring it. We know that every team in the Missouri Valley is strong and solid with good defense.”

Junior forward Alex Harrison said they are a hardworking team.

“They are quite dangerous from what I remember from last year,” Harrison said. “Obviously they have already had the big result in conference beating Creighton away. So we are expecting a hard game.”

Harrison said if Eastern must learn from its mistakes against Evansville. If the Panthers (3-3-2, 0-1-0) can do that, they will be in good shape to win the match.

“We have to do a better job starting games,” Harrison said. “Even in the game against (Indiana-Purdue-Fort Wayne) when we won 4-2, I think we came out flat. I just think the energy level has to be a bit higher and we just have to get at them from the first whistle to the last whistle, we just have to get at them.”

Phillpott said sometimes things do not go their way, like the match against Evansville, but the team needs to put that match in the back of its mind and focus against Missouri State.

For another year Eastern will not be at home for Family Weekend.

Howarth said it is unfortunate, but the team does not have control with the conference schedule. He said the team would be leaving on Saturday, so they will still be on campus for some of the weekend.

Philpott said although it is disappointing, it does have advantages.

“So far, this season we have only won one of our three matches at home,” Philpott said. “We are a good road team and we will not have any distractions, we will all be focused on the match.”

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

Eastern sophomore midfielder Ryan Child attempts to block a kick during the first half against Evansville Wednesday at Lakeside Field. The Panthers lost 2-0 and play Missouri State at 1 p.m. Sunday.(Amir Prellberg/The Daily Eastern News)

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