The victory marked the second time this season that the Panthers (4-2-1) have scored five times. The last time an EIU team registered five goals in a home game was September 2002 in an 8-0 blowout of Illinois-Chicago.

 

Harrison scored the first goal of the game in the 32nd minute and put the corner kick into play that Jim Adee headed in less than five minutes later.

 

The fourth of EIU's five scores was an own goal, headed in by a UCA (2-6) player following a long throw in by Adam Gartner.

 

Peters scored in the 66th and 86th minutes, recording his fifth career multi-goal effort. The senior also moved into 10th place on the EIU all-time with 27 career scores. Harrison, meanwhile, registered a goal and assist in the same game for the second time this season.

 

Mark Hansen and Mark Essary both saw action in net for EIU and finished with one save apiece. The shutout goes into the record book as a team effort after Essary replaced Hansen in the 66th minute.

 

Five different players registered an assist. Besides Harrison, Mike Lewis, Mike Picinich, Darby Kehoe and Mitch Welsch also helped setup goals. Ryan Child and Welsch both made their collegiate debuts in the victory and a season-high 19 Panthers saw action altogether.

 

“We've now got more depth, which is great,” EIU head coach Adam Howarth said. “In the center of the park today we played very well. All four plays we rotated in were very good. That's what we need, depth, especially when we get down to crunch time and the games get tougher. We've created a good atmosphere here with the home games that we have. Hopefully we can keep that going.”

 

Gartner and Peters were the lone EIU players to play all 90 minutes. Gartner moved from midfielder to center back in place of Chris Pearson, who was held out with a sore hamstring. Pearson had played every minute of the first six games and 740 consecutive minutes dating back to last season's Missouri Valley Conference Tournament.

 

Eastern would have scored seven times if not for a pair of great saves by UCA goalkeeper Greg Brooks. In the 34th minute, he stopped a point blank opportunity for Adee. About six minutes later, a Child blast from 15 yards soared through Brooks' hands but the 'keeper was able to get up and somehow keep the ball from crossing the goal line.

 

Harrison scored his fourth goal of the season, and ninth career, with a right-to-left shot across the six-yard box that snuck inside the far post. Lewis setup the score.

 

Adee's header goal was his second of the season and gave EIU a 2-0 halftime lead.

 

Peters led the way with eight shots and finally found the back of the net with a blast from 15 yards straight on after collecting a pass from Picinich, who registered his first career assist on the score.

 

Kehoe and Welsch setup Peters' second goal, which was scored from the left flank at about eight yards out after a nifty no-look back pass from Welsch.

 

Central Arkansas entered the game having played in three straight overtime affairs.

The Panthers return to action Friday for a 6 p.m. (CDT) game at Wright State.

More Info: Contact Ben Turner, Asst. SID