Interim head coach Jason Cherry said after Sunday’s win over Tennessee Tech that he and the team sat down and discussed the importance of conference matches before the opener against Belmont.

Apparently it worked, because the Panthers are off to a 2-0 start in the Ohio Valley Conference after previously losing nine straight.

The Eastern women’s soccer team will try and prove that its not a one-week wonder after its two Ohio Valley Conference wins last weekend.

The Panthers will take on Morehead State (2-7-1, 1-0) at 3 p.m. Friday and Eastern Kentucky (2-7-1, 1-0) at 1 p.m. Sunday. Both matches are at Lakeside Field.

The Panthers are coming off a four-goal performance against Tennessee Tech, the first time the team had scored four goals since 2004, with junior Meagan Radloff leading the way with two goals.

Radloff was named OVC Player of the Week by College Sports Madness. The Panthers scored more goals this weekend than any other team in the conference.

Morehead State’s Jade Flory is coming off a big week of her own, scoring both goals in the Eagles’ 2-1 overtime win over Jacksonville State.

Flory, who playing in her first OVC match after transferring to Morehead State from Youngstown State, was named OVC Offensive Player of the Week. She has six goals and three assists, leading the team.

Morehead State’s only non-conference win came over Appalachian State on Sept. 22. The Eagles lost its season opener to nationally ranked Ohio State on Aug. 23 after the Buckeyes scored in the final seconds to go ahead 3-2.

The Eagles, like the Panthers, have started a number of different players in goal this season.

Red-shirt sophomore Hannah Seeman has started the most matches (four), for the Eagles, while red-shirt sophomore Elizabeth Floyd started the conference opener against Jacksonville State.

Red-shirt freshman goalkeeper Kylie Morgan has been nursing a hand injury, making sophomore Cortney Jerzy see extending time in goal. Jerzy was named OVC Goalkeeper of the Week after she recorded her first career shutout against Belmont.

Eastern has never lost to Morehead State in its nine meetings at Lakeside Field. The teams have tied twice.

Eastern Kentucky, which also beat Jacksonville State, has also won its last two matches. The Colonels scored three goals in its last match against Alabama A&M, a season high.

The Colonels had difficulty finding the back of the net throughout the season, scoring just three goals in its previous nine matches before the win over Alabama A&M.

The Colonels gave up a season-high seven goals against the University of Kentucky on Aug. 30 in a 7-0 loss.

Senior midfielder Kristan Paynter has scored two of the team’s three goals this season.

Sophomore Erika Wolfer has given up 24 goals this season, while making 40 saves. She has two shutouts this season.

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