For the first time since September, the Eastern women’s soccer team dropped both of its weekend matches, putting the team at 6-12 overall and 6-3 in the Ohio Valley Conference.

The Panthers lost 2-0 Friday to Tennessee-Martin and 4-0 Sunday to Southeast Missouri. Both matches were on the road.

Eastern and Tennessee-Martin entered Friday’s match with 18 points apiece, tied for first place in the OVC.

Tennessee-Martin’s Alyssa Curtis opened the scoring early with a goal in the seventh minute to make the score 1-0.

The goal was Curtis’ fourth goal of the season. Eastern had just two shots in the first 45 minutes of play.

The Skyhawks scored their second goal early in the first half, when Dominika Conc, who had played in a Women’s World Cup qualifying match earlier this season for Slovenia, put one past Eastern goalkeeper Cortney Jerzy in the 46th minute.

The Skyhawks held on to the 2-0 lead for the rest of the match, making it their seventh straight win of the season.

Jerzy had 10 saves in the match, taking the loss.

Tennessee-Martin’s Mariah Klenke made four saves.

The Panthers had four shots on goal in the match.

On Sunday, the Redhawks’ offense exploded for four goals in the first half, making it the most goals given up by Eastern since the team’s opening season loss against Oakland when it gave up five.

The first goal came in the 22nd minute by Southeast Missouri’s Breana Beine. Natasha Minor was credited with the assist

The Redhawks added their second goal just three minutes later when Stephanie Palmer, assisted by Jennifer Antonacci, put one in on a corner kick.

Kasey Crowden scored two goals near the end of the first half to seal the win for the Redhawks, scoring an unassisted goal in the 38th minute, then adding another in the 400th, assisted by Amy Ward.

Jerzy was again in goal for the Panthers, making seven saves in the loss. Southeast Missouri’s Ashton Aubuchon made two saves in the win. The Panthers had just four shots in the match.

With the two losses, Eastern remains with 18 points in the OVC standings with one match remaining on the schedule. The Panthers take on Southern Illinois-Edwardsville on Sunday at 2 p.m.

Edwardsville beat Tennessee-Martin 1-0 on Sunday, but the Skyhawks remain in first place in the OVC with 21 points. Southeast Missouri has 20 points, putting the Redhawks in second place. Eastern and Morehead State are tied with 18 points each following Morehead State’s 1-0 loss to Belmont on Sunday. The Panthers beat Morehead State 1-0 on a late Meagan Radloff goal on Oct. 4.

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