Eastern’s men’s soccer team lost a critical Missouri Valley Conference match, 3-0, to Evansville on Friday.

The match was broadcast on the Fox Soccer Channel. It was the Panthers only nationally televised game this season.

Eastern head coach Adam Howarth said the team did not play as well as he thought they would. He said they were dominated by Evansville and that it was frustrating that they played so poorly.

“We did not play good,” Howarth said.

With the loss the Panthers fall to seventh in the MVC tournament standings. If they had won, the Panthers would have guaranteed themselves a spot in the tournament; however, with the loss there is a lot that needs to happen for them to make the tournament.

The loss drops the Panthers record to 4-10-1 on the year and 1-4-1 in the MVC.

The top six teams make the MVC tournament. The Panthers need a win in their last conference game against Drake at Lakeside field. They will also need Evansville to lose their final conference game against Central Arkansas. Central Arkansas has not won a MVC match this season.

Howarth said the Panthers are going to focus on their final two games of the season.

“Central Arkansas is a must win, so we will focus on what we have to do and then hope that the other stuff goes our way,” Howarth said.

Evansville’s offense was in top form as they fired 31 shots, while Eastern only got off 11. The first goal came 31 minutes into the game, when Tyler Kincaid beat senior goalkeeper Sean Molony.

Molony left the game just two minutes later and was replaced by red-shirt freshman Tyler Kelly. Kelly allowed two more goals, another by Kincaid and one by Tom Irvin.

Molony left the game when he collided with Eastern junior midfielder Mike Picinich. The collision caused both players to exit the game. Molony needed eight stitches and Picinich needed five.

Howarth said he is unsure of either player’s status for the next game.

The game was dominated in almost every statistical category by Evansville. The Purple Aces beat the Panthers in shots, shots on goals, corner kicks, they committed less fouls, but the Panthers had more saves.

Eastern was led in shots by sophomore forward Kyle Bullock; however, the only Panthers to get a shot on goal were sophomore midfielder Ian McCausland and sophomore midfielder Jerry Maddi.

Eastern’s point leader, junior forward Ryan Child, was held without a point for the second consecutive match.

Senior forward Alex Harrison was held to just one shot on goal; however, he still leads the Panthers in shots and he is tied for the lead in goals scored with two on the year.

The Panthers return to action Wednesday against Valparaiso for their final non-conference game of the season. The game starts at 7 p.m. in Valparaiso, Ind. The Panthers are 0-5 in night games this season.

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

Sean Molony a senior goal keeper kicks the ball back into play Oct. 20 against Bradley on Lakeside Field. (Brittany Bart

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