The men’s soccer team opened up Summit League play with a 3-2 loss to Oral Roberts on Saturday night.

The Panthers fell to 2-5-1 on the season with a 0-1 record in conference play. Oral Roberts improves to 4-3-1 this year with a 1-0 start in Summit League play.

Oral Roberts opened up the scoring in the game midway through the first half with a goal by Junior Chavez in the 23rd minute. He was set up by teammate Javo Reyes who passed it to Chavez who was seven yards out and shot it past junior Eastern goalkeeper Mike Novotny.

Eastern was quick to respond with a goal by sophomore Julian Montoya in the 28th minute. Freshman Andre Nappa crossed it into the penalty box to set up Montoya for his first career assist. Oral Roberts grabbed the lead back in the 34th minute with a penalty kick by Santiago Riveros to make it 2-1. That was the score heading into the half.

Riveros gave Oral Roberts a 3-1 lead with his second goal of the game in the 50th minute. He dribbled the ball into the penalty box and beat Novotny. The Panthers had a chance to get back into the game with a penalty kick from senior Davis Wegmann in the 64th minute. Oral Robert’s goalkeeper Parker Johnson saved his shot, but he could not hang onto it, and Wegmann finished off of the rebound.

That made it 3-2, and the Panthers were unable to find the tying goal giving them their fifth loss by one goal this season. Novotny finished the game with four saves on eight shots on goal. Eastern was outshot 17-5 by Oral Roberts. Oral Roberts had nine corner opportunities, and Eastern had zero. The Panthers also had a team save in the game.

Wegmann was the team leader in shots with two that were each on goal. Montoya, junior Justin Oliver and sophomore Trevor Kerns were the other Panthers to record shots in the match.

Chavez finished with three shots on goal and five total shots for Oral Roberts. Riveros recorded four shots on goal on all four of his shots. Johnson made one save against the Panthers while letting up two goals. Junior Corey Cantor had three shots for Oral Roberts with one of them on goal.

Denver, Oral Roberts and Western Illinois each are 1-0 in Summit League play, while Eastern, IUPUI and Fort Wayne have begun the conference schedule at 0-1. Omaha has yet to play a conference game.

Mark Shanahan can be reached at 581-2812 or mmshanahan@eiu.edu.