table{border-collapse:separate;border-color:blue;border-style:ridge;}caption {caption-side:bottom}Graphic by Adam Larck/The Daily Eastern NewsTeamConference RecordOverall RecordMorehead State2-0-25-6-3Tennessee Tech3-1-14-9-2UT Martin3-16-5Murray State3-15-6-1Eastern Kentucky1-1-24-8-2Eastern Illinois1-1-15-5-4Southeast Missouri0-1-25-5-2Austin Peay0-3-21-10-3Jacksonville State0-46-8Eastern head coach Summer Perala was disappointed with the efforts of the Eastern women’s soccer team against the defending regular season Ohio Valley Conference champions.

Perala said the team’s inability to get up and challenge for the ball cost the Panthers the match.

The Panthers lost their first conference match Sunday against Murray State 3-1 in Murray, Ky.

Eastern (5-5-4, 1-1-1 in the Ohio Valley Conference) fell behind early off two corner kicks that were turned into goals for the Racers just two minutes apart.

“We were outworked on both of the goals,” Perala said.

Eastern gave up its third goal of the game after a penalty kick was called in favor of the Racers.

“Our defenders were out of position, and they got caught for it,” Perala said, “The penalty kick was a good call.”

Perala expected a physical game from the Racers (5-6-1, 3-1-0 OVC), but said her players didn’t come out ready to match the intensity.

“We gave up three absolutely awful goals,” Perala said. “The girls didn’t really decide to play until the second half. We didn’t come out prepared and we got punished for it.”

Murray State’s sophomore midfielder Sophie Hargreaves scored two of her team’s three goals.

The Panthers tried to mount a comeback in the second half after being rejuvenated by what the coaches told them at halftime.

“They told us that it was a 0-0 game, and I think we came out pretty well with that on our minds,” senior midfielder Rachel Hamilton said.

However, Hamilton said the team was unhappy with some of the calls the referees made during the game.

Perala said the players were complaining too much.

“We kind of started getting knocked around and were complaining too much about it,” Perala said. “We weren’t looking to get in the mix – not getting dirty, but at least getting physical back. That hurt us big time.”

The Panthers managed to get one goal through at the 80-minute mark, when senior forward Laura Ridolfi was given a penalty kick on what Perala described as a great run.

The ball was pinned deep in the corner of the Racers’ box, so Ridolfi applied some pressure, causing the Racers’ goalkeeper to come out to help.

“Since the goalie was out of the box, I knew she couldn’t touch the ball with her hands,” Ridolfi said. “So, I won the tackle and went toward the goal, and their last defender pulled me down.”

Even though the penalty kick was Eastern’s first of the season, Ridolfi felt no pressure whatsoever. She said that all she wanted to do was kick it low, into a corner.

“All of the pressure is on the goalie in those situations,” Ridolfi said.

Eastern was scheduled to play a home match against Tennessee Martin Friday, but it was postponed because of poor playing conditions. A rescheduled date is not yet decided.

The Panthers will return home for two Homecoming weekend matches against Tennessee Tech at 3:30 p.m. Friday and Jacksonville State at noon Sunday. Both matches will be at Lakeside Field.

Alex McNamee can be reached at 581-7944 or admcnamee@eiu.edu.