Junior Meagan Radloff hit the field Sunday against Tennessee Tech after celebrating the team’s first victory of the season over Ohio Valley Conference opponent Belmont. 

Sophomore Molly Hawkins was able to score the team’s game winning goal to give the Panthers, who had lost seven straight before the conference opener, a 1-0 win on the road in Nashville, Tenn.

But when Radloff took the field against the Golden Eagles on Sunday, she was celebrating something else too. 

Her 21st birthday.

Radloff, who also wears No. 21 on her jersey, scored two goals in the Panthers’ 4-2 win over Tennessee Tech on her 21st birthday.

Radloff has started all 11 matches for the Panthers this season, but was yet to score a goal. She said it felt good to finally find the back of the net, especially on her birthday.

“It felt great,” Radloff said after Sunday’s match. “It’s taken awhile for the season, but it felt good to get it on my birthday.”

The West Chicago native was named OVC Player of the Week by College Sports Madness for her performance. The Panthers are now 2-0 and in first place after the first week of OVC play.

“Everything just finally came together in the past few games,” she said. “We’re finally starting to finish what we’ve been working on this season, so it feels good.”

Radloff’s first goal came in the 38th minute with the Panthers down 1-0. She fired a shot from 20 yards out to tie the match. The goal was unassisted.

Radloff’s goal jumpstarted the Panthers’ scoring, as the Panthers would score two more goals in the ensuing minutes, putting the team up 3-1 at half. Junior Allie Lakie scored in the 39th minute, and sophomore Hannah Miller would score in the 40th minute, topping the team’s season goal total in a span of a few minutes.

Tennessee Tech struck back in the second half, scoring in the 48th minute to bring the score to 3-2. The teams battled back and forth, with the Panthers trying to hold off the Golden Eagles for their second win of the season. Radloff sealed the win in the 85th minute from 18 yards out for her second of the day.

Entering the weekend, the Panthers were 0-9, off to their worst start in program history. The team had managed just two goals in those first nine matches; one in the season opener against Oakland on Aug. 23, and another eight matches later against Valparaiso. Radloff said the team was tired of it.

“Really, I think we just finally got sick of being 0-whatever, and starting conference always gets us pumped up,” she said.

Interim head coach Jason Cherry said he was happy to see Radloff’s hard work pay off.

“I was so happy for her,” he said. “To get two goals, that’s phenomenal.”

Radloff, one of the team’s captains, has five points this so far season.

“She’s one of our captains and one of the hardest working players on this team and it was great to see her hard work be rewarded,” Cherry said.

Radloff only scored one goal last season, but has already surpassed her shots on goal total from last season, as well as points.

The Panthers will take on Morehead State and Eastern Kentucky on Friday and Sunday at Lakeside Field.

Dominic Renzetti can be reached at 581-2812 or dcrenzetti@eiu.edu.