The Eastern Illinois men’s soccer team will hit the road for the final time this season as they head to Edwardsville to take on Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Tuesday at 7pm.

As there are just two games left in the season, time is running out for Eastern to improve on their win total from last season.

After earning just three wins so far in the season, everyone involved with the program is looking to end the season on a high note senior Nick Smith said.

“We need to continue to meet and exceed our cultural expectations,” Smith said. “We need to stick together as a family and continue to have a second to none work ethic.”

The Panthers are going into the matchup with a record of 3-12 on the season after coming off two straight one goal losses.

“We need to show up and compete for the season to end on a high note,” coach Kiki Lara said. “We need to show that EIU resolve and grit that we are often seeking to demonstrate.”

SIUE is on a six game win streak, and sit atop the Missouri Valley Conference with a conference record of 4-1 and 10-3-1 overall.

“They are a strong opponent that won the Missouri Valley Conference last season,” Lara said. “It will be a very competitive match.”

Many members of the team are still confident after their 1-0 loss to an undefeated Denver team Smith said.

“We just need to continue focusing on our defending identity in order to keep ourselves in every game,” Smith said. “We need to take advantage of every scoring opportunity that we create.”

A large part of the Panther’s success this season has been the play of sophomore goalkeeper Mike Novotny as well as the team’s defensive play.

The Panthers’ defense and goalkeeping by sophomore Mike Novotny have both been key components in getting wins and playing close games.

“Our defense has been playing well these past couple games, and we have been able to hold other teams to one or zero goals,” Novotny said. “Zac (Medawattage) has been a crucial part of our defense this year, and has really shined in that back line.”

Although Lara has earned just three wins in his first season at Eastern, he said he still feels confident in the program, and continues to stress the basics of the game.

“One of our main objectives was to remain consistent with the type of program culture that we want to establish for this year and many more to come,” Lara said. “We want to show up in these final matches and compete for our seniors, our supporters, our families, and for our university.”

Maher Kawash can be reached at 581-2812 or mwkawash@eiu.edu.