The Eastern men’s soccer team’s season ended with a loss to Drake as it missed the Missouri Valley Conference tournament for the second consecutive season on Saturday.

The Panthers finished the season with a 4-12-1 overall record and a 1-5-1 record in the MVC. Ten of the Panthers 12 losses came by just one goal.

The Panthers ended the year on a four-game losing streak. It was the third time this season that the Panther had a losing streak of three or more games.

Eastern head coach Adam Howarth said the season was frustrating because the Panthers would make one mental mistake and it would cost them the game.

One reason the Panthers struggled was they did not score goals consistently. They scored just nine goals this season, which made them last in the MVC. They also finished last in the conference in goals per game, points, assists and corner kicks.

As far as a most valuable player, Howarth would not name one.

“It’s so hard to say, everybody was so inconsistent, it’s hard to say right now (who would be MVP),” Howarth said.

Senior forward Alex Harrison led the Panthers with three goals, and tied for the lead in points with junior forward Ryan Child with nine. Child led the Panthers with five assists.

Senior goalkeeper Sean Molony led the Panthers to fifth in the MVC, allowing 1.2 goals per game.

Four seniors end careers

Harrison career with the Panthers is now over. He was team captain this season, and was selected as second team all-conference last year.

Harrison led the Panthers in points for two straight seasons.

“It hasn’t sunk in yet, obviously I’m pretty sad about it, it has been up and down these four years but I have enjoyed every minute,” Harrison said.

Molony is ending his senior season in second in the MVC in saves with 84, third in shutouts with four and seventh in the conference allowing just 1.14 goals per game.

Senior midfielder Darby Kehoe also ended his career; however, his career truely ended earlier this year because of an injury. Kehoe, who had a chance to break Eastern consecutive starts record, tore his ACL against Green Bay in the last exhibition game of the season.

Senior defenseman Trevor Kohlrus also ended his career. He transferred from Parkland College his junior season, allowing him just two years as a Panther. In his two seasons, he started regularly on defense.

Harrison said the Panthers should be able to perform well without the four senior leaders and he wishes them the best of luck as they continue their careers.

Around the MVC

The MVC tournament starts as No. 3 Missouri State takes on No. 6 Evansville in Peoria on Wednesday.

The game will be followed by No. 4 Drake against No. 5 Bradley.

The winner of Missouri State and Evansville will play No. 2 Southern Illinois-Edwardsville on Friday at 3 p.m. Also, the winner between Drake and Bradley will play No. 1 Creighton at 6 p.m. Friday.

The championship game is set for Sunday at 1:06 p.m.

The only teams held out of the tournament were Eastern and Central Arkansas, who finished seventh and eighth respectively.

Rob Mortell can be reached at581-7942 or at rdmortell@eiu.edu.

Graham Lynch, junior defender/midfielder, heads the ball against Drake Saturday afternoon at Lakeside Field. (Audrey Sawyer

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