Eastern’s men’s soccer team had a golden opportunity to make the Missouri Valley Conference tournament and they blew it.

All Eastern had to do was beat Evansville and it secured a spot in the tournament.

If the Panthers won the game, all of its earlier troubles this season would have seemed obsolete.

Instead, it lost 3-0, not even keeping the nationally televised game close. That’s right not only was this a tournament clinching game, but it was also on TV. It was the only time the Panthers were nationally televised this season.

I honestly thought that the Panthers were going to walk into Evansville and dominate the Purple Aces.

I was mistaken. The game went exactly opposite as I had predicted.

It didn’t help that the Panthers lost two of their best players to injury just 32 minutes into the game.

Senior goalkeeper Sean Molony and junior midfielder Mike Picinich, collided and both players were forced to leave the game.

Molony was given eight stitches and Picinich was given five.

When both players left the game, the score was 1-0. The Panthers still had a very good chance at coming away with the win.

After injuries like that, I thought the team would rally and play their best soccer of the season.

This was not the case with inexperienced red-shirt freshman Tyler Kelly in the goal.

Evansville was able to score two more times in the game.

Kelly did not get any help from the defense, as they let Evansville shoot 31 times in the game. That is the most shots that Eastern has given up all season.

Kelly made three total saves and did his best to keep the team in the game.

The Panthers still have a chance to make the MVC tournament, but it is a very small chance.

They need to win their final conference game against a high-scoring Drake team and they need Evansville to lose against Central Arkansas.

I don’t know what’s more likely: the Panthers winning or the Purple Aces losing.

I think the Panthers will play motivated soccer and come away with a huge win at home.

I also think they will be disappointed to find out that Evansville smashed Central Arkansas.

It’s looking more and more like the Panthers will be watching the tournament instead of playing in it.

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