Eastern’s men’s soccer team will head to Tulsa, Oklahoma on Saturday night to take on Oral Roberts University. The Panthers enter with an overall record of 1-7-3 and look to notch their first Summit League win after going winless with one tie through four conference games.

The Panthers come off two straight ties in matches where they only allowed one goal apiece. This has been a common theme for goalie Chad Smith and the Panther defense. Given many opportunities, Smith currently leads the Summit League in saves per game with five.

The Panther offense on the other hand has struggled to consistently find the net with less than four shots on goal per game.

They are led by forward Sam Eccles who remains tied for first in the Summit League with five goals on the season. Lesego Maloma finds himself in a grove lately with the lone goals in the Panthers’ last two contests.

Oral Roberts will present a challenge as they await the Panthers with a 6-3-2 overall record. Their last match resulted in a win for the Golden Eagles who beat a tough Kansas City opponent on the road.

Additionally, Oral Roberts’ squad has defended their home turf effectively as they boast a perfect 4-0 record in Tulsa. Goalkeeper Jeremy Coste has only allowed two goals on forty-three shots against, in home starts.

The Panther offense looks to heat up in warmer conditions as Tulsa will see upwards of 80-degree weather this weekend. Live stats will be available through the Oral Robert’s Men’s Soccer page.

Brian Barrett can be reached at 581-2812 or bjbarrett@eiu.edu