The Eastern hockey club was swept in its final series of the semester, falling to Davenport by scores of 13-1 on Friday and 18-1 on Saturday at the David S. Palmer Ice Arena in Danville.

Davenport’s Division II team jumped out to an early 3-0 lead and never looked back. Freshman forward Chris McRae had three goals for Davenport, recording his first collegiate hat trick.

In Saturday’s game, Davenport scored a season-high 18 goals in its second win of the weekend. Davenport improved to 12-1-1, while Eastern dropped to 3-8.

Eastern’s last win was in overtime over St. Mary’s of Minnesota on Nov. 15.

The series was the final two games in the Eastern hockey career of goalie Andrew Teske.

Teske, a senior exercise science major from New Lenox, is graduating this semester. Teske has been on the team for five years.

“Overall I think it’s just us learning from our mistakes,” Teske said before the game. “We’re a young team and I know that the team is heading in the right direction.”

The Eastern hockey club has six series remaining on the schedule for the spring semester.

The Panthers take on Cincinnati at on Jan. 9 and 10, and Indiana University on the road on Jan. 16 and 17, followed by another road trip to face Wisconsin-Milwaukee on Jan. 23 and 24.

Eastern returns to the David S. Palmer Arena on Jan. 30 and 31 for a two-game series against Lindenwood Bellville. The club finishes up the schedule on the road with two games against Saint Louis on Feb. 7 and 8, before closing the season at Notre Dame on Feb. 20 and 21.

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