The Panthers were not able to hold out against the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE) Cougars, losing 0-1. The loss moves Eastern to 2-5-2 and SIUE to 7-0-2.
The Cougars scored their only goal in the 75th minute off of a penalty kick from junior forward Ignacio Abeal Pou. The penalty kick happened because of a handball that was called on Eastern in the box.
“I think we defended as well as we could,” freshman forward Kyle Ward said. “Controversial call kind of cost us one, but I think it sends a good message out to the conference . . . SIUE’s an undefeated team right now and we held with them. A little bit of an error on the ref led us to taking a loss on that one but I’m not too worried.”
“I didn’t know because I couldn’t see it from the sideline, and then we ran the film back and sure enough it hit him flush in the face,” Head Coach Josh Oakley said about the handball call.
SIUE took a total of 19 shots, eight of which were on goal compared to Eastern’s five shots, two on goal.
“I think we did well man,” freshman defender Jake McConnery said. “We defended for 90 minutes straight and countered really well. Sometimes things don’t go our way though you know . . . I think we put in a great shift today, I’m proud of the way the guys played.”
Prior to this game SIUE had a goals per game of 2.38 and Eastern was able to hold them to one goal, only three other teams have been able to do that against SIUE.
“We wanted to force them wide because we knew they were good at the top of the box scoring goals from there, so our game plan was to just force them wide and let them cross, and we did really well there,” senior defender Maxwell Allen said. “We wanted to make sure they didn’t get in behind [and] drop off early which we did well so communication was really good there today.”
Junior goalkeeper Whelan Joseph started the last two games for Eastern, today and against Lindenwood last Thursday. In those games there have been 10 total shots-on-goal and Joseph has been able to save eight of them including seven today. His only two goals that he has allowed have been a free kick against Lindenwood and the penalty kick today.
“I think you continue to have to look at Whelan in goal,” Oakley said. “He’s had two good games, really good games, only beaten by dead balls, and today kind of beaten by a situation that he has no control over. He’s played well, he’s done well.”
The Panthers next game is against the University of the Incarnate Word Cardinals at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday at Gayle & Tom Benson Stadium.
Luther Yoder can be reached at 581-2812 or at lyoder@eiu.edu.
