For the first time this season, Eastern’s men’s soccer team lost when it scored a goal.

Eastern lost a tough game against Southern Illinois-Edwardsville 1-2. The Panthers jumped out to an early 1-0 led but they were unable to hold onto the lead.

Before the game against SIU-E, the Panthers were 4-0 when they scored. It was the first time the offense outperformed the defense.

The loss dropped Eastern’s overall record to 4-8 and 1-3 in Missouri Valley Conference play.

The story all season long has been the outstanding play of the defense and the lacking offense.

It was just the second time all season that the Panthers have allowed more than one goal. The other occasion was against UNC-Ashville in the Kentucky Invitational.

Eastern defense has kept them in virtually every game this season; however, Saturday was a different story.

I thought when the Panthers scored the goal just five minutes into the game that they would definitely win. If the Eastern’s offense is playing good normally they will come away with a win.

The defense made more mistakes than I have seen all season long. The 22 fouls committed by the Panthers were a season-high.

I have said all season that if the offense starts to play consistently, the Panthers will be able to make a serious run at the MVC tournament.

Although I did not anticipate the defense letting them down, this could lead to more problems this year.

It does not matter if the offense finally starts scoring a goal a game, if the defense is going to let them down Eastern will still be in a very familiar spot.

The Panthers have only had an above .500 record once in the MVC since 1996. They haven’t achieved the feat since 2000 when the team posting a 6-5 record.

With a record of 1-3 in the MVC already this season and just three games left in their conference schedule, it is looking like the Panthers will be treading in familiar water.

Perhaps, both sides of the ball can figure out how to play good at the same time. But the odds are against them.

Eastern definitely has the talent and ability to win their last three conference games; however, with the way everything has gone this season, it just seems like something else is going to go wrong.

Rob Mortell can be reached at 581-7944 or at rdmortell@eiu.edu.