The Panthers head into their first game of Ohio Valley Conference play against the Lindenwood University Lions with a record of 1-4-2.
Eastern ends its non-conference schedule with a two-game losing streak. Both losses were away games that ended 1-2.
The defense for the Panthers has improved significantly in Head Coach Josh Oakley’s second season with the team. Last year during non-conference play they allowed an average of 2.67 goals per game with a high of six against Houston Christian University (was Houston Baptist when they played). This season they have allowed 1.43 goals per game with a high of two goals which happened in four games.
The offense also has seen a bit of an improvement during non-conference play going from 0.67 goals per game last season to 0.86 this season.
The Panthers’ only win this season was against Governor’s State University on August 28th. In that game senior forward Lesego Maloma scored the only goal off an assist from senior forward Sam Eccles.
Eccles leads the Panthers in points with six on the year. He also leads the team in goals (two), assists (tied with sophomore midfielder Casey Welage with two), shots (16), and shots on goal (11).
Eastern has been outshot by their opponents 62 to 90, which is 8.9 shots per game and 12.9 shots allowed per game. The Panthers have also allowed 40 shots on goal compared to their 28.
Eastern has 29 saves so far this season compared to 22 for their opponents.
The Panthers have also utilized three different goalkeepers so far, junior Chad Smith and two of which are new to the team: redshirt junior Kyce Toutanji from University of Detroit-Mercy and junior Whelan Joseph from Southeastern Community College.
There was a stretch of three games where they used three different goalkeepers: Toutanji against IUPUI, Smith against Bellarmine University, and Joseph against Wright State University.
Eastern has started four freshmen during the season. Defender Jake McConnery, defender Lance Somerfield, forward/midfielder Kyle Kimberling, and forward/midfielder Kyle Ward.
McConnery leads the team in minutes with 630, playing the full 90 minutes in every game so far.
Lindenwood comes into this at 3-3-2 in non-conference play.
Lions’ senior defender Cole Hutson is their leader in shots (12), shots on goal (seven), goals (four), and points (eight). Their leader in assists is freshman forward Jens Haukeland.
Lindenwood’s freshman goalkeeper Enzo Gil leads the Lions in saves with 10 in seven games played.
Eastern has ten OVC games this season and the OVC conference tournament begins November 5.
Luther Yoder can be reached at 581-2812 or at lyoder@eiu.edu.
