The Eastern men’s soccer team is struggling defensively this year, and it’s costing the Panthers games every time they take the field.

The three teams at the bottom of the ladder in the Summit League, Eastern, Oral Roberts and Indiana-Purdue-Fort Wayne, have the three worst goals against averages.

Eastern is giving up 1.96 goals per game, but that’s nothing compared to the other two teams. Fort Wayne gives up 2.58 goals per game. Oral Roberts gives up 2.86 goals per game.

Defense is a big part of the team and Eastern head coach Adam Howarth said multiple times this year that the Panthers are working on fixing their shortcomings on the back line.

The Panthers’ back line has its most experienced player on it, senior defender Ian McCausland, which should help them make the defense formidable.

In the two home games this season, McCausland has looked good in both – pushing forward when the time is right and holding off charging defenders along the sidelines.

The defense has been one of the least touched units on the team in terms of changing the lineups in games.

McCausland, Jake Plant, Jordan Collins and Conor Bartuch have been on the starting line for the most part and haven’t been subbed out in games.

This could be because chemistry is a big deal on the defensive end. The four guys have to be able to communicate and make adjustments as they play.

They have to be talking to their goalkeeper, too. The goalkeeper, though, hasn’t been a stable position this year like I thought it would be.

Senior goalkeeper Evan Turner has waited his turn for this to be the season he’ll be the starter, but freshman goalkeeper Garrett Creasor has gotten a lot of time.

However, Creasor, not Turner, has been the better goalkeeper in the games he’s played. Creasor was in net for the Panthers’ two wins.

While there is consistency on the back line, there’s still something wrong and the Panthers are trying to figure it out.

Consistency in goal would be a big help. Players like IUPUI goalkeeper Eduardo Cortes have helped carry their teams to the top of the league this year, although we’re only one game in.

But we are only one game in, so a lot has yet to be decided. The Panthers have time to figure out their issues on defense and keep teams from scoring so much.

It’s not fun playing from behind all the time and the Panthers have to find a way to change that if they want to be successful this year in the Summit League.

Alex McNamee can be reached at 581-2812 or admcnamee@eiu.edu.