Junior Lauren Doyle has been on a torrid offensive pace, and has been largely responsible for the offensive outburst that the women’s rugby team has displayed over the past two weeks.

Doyle has been a major contributor for the Panthers this season, as she leads the team in five statistical categories. Doyle has seemingly been a part of every scoring play this season, and of late, she has found herself in the right place at the right time, just when the Panthers need her most.

“I feel like my eyes are developing now that I’ve been playing for three years,” Doyle said. “It’s working out now.”

Doyle leads the team in trys (18), points (152), runs more than 20 yards (23), steals at tackle (17), and conversions (31-67).

Doyle continued to impress, following a career-best game against Iowa State that had her scoring four trys and assisting on three others in the 50-22 win on Oct. 29.

Doyle ran all over the Bobcat defense, pacing the Panthers offensive attack from the opening whistle to the final minutes of the game. Doyle was instrumental in recording the three-game season series sweep against the NCAA newcomers as she tallied an impressive five trys in the 66-3 win.

Doyle got the Panthers offensive attack going in the right direction, recording her first try of the afternoon in the second minute of play. She closed out an impressive first half performance that had her racing to score on three different occasions.

Doyle is considered one of the best offensive weapons that Eastern head coach Frank Graziano has in his arsenal, and she will certainly be called upon to lead the Panthers in her senior season.

“Lauren has enormous potential and she has all the tools,” Graziano said. “She’s strong she has great hands and she has great vision. There are so many nuisances to the game and I think a lot of it is starting to make since. When it starts showing up I can start teaching her more and more stuff.”

Doyle and the Panthers will be back in action Saturday when they host Big Ten opponent Purdue in the final game of the regular season. Kickoff is scheduled for 12 p.m. at Lakeside Field.

Jordan Pottorff can be reached at 581-7942 or jbpottorff@eiu.edu.