Kickoff at Lakeside Field is slated for 2:30 p.m. in the nightcap of the only EIU soccer doubleheader this season. The Panther women host Jacksonville State at noon Sunday.
In the third edition of EIU's senior day series,
Jeff Kupiec will be recognized for his contributions to Panther soccer prior to kickoff. Additionally, the first 100 fans in attendance for the men's game will receive a complimentary EIU can/bottle koozie.
Eastern (4-5-2, 1-3 MVC) is scheduled to play five of its final seven regular-season games at home. Only road trips to Des Moines (Oct. 21 to play Drake) and Peoria (Oct. 31 for a rematch with Bradley) remain before postseason play begins the second week of November.
The Braves (5-5-1, 0-3 MVC) host Evansville Wednesday evening looking to snap a seven-game losing streak in Missouri Valley Conference play. Bradley's Chris Cutshaw entered the week leading the league with nine goals. He scored twice against EIU in Peoria last season.
The Braves last visit to Charleston, in November 2007, coincided with one of the most energetic crowds in the recent history of Lakeside Field. Bradley scored twice in the second half to overcome EIU's early goal and send the home fans unhappy. Unfortunately, that has been a common trend in the series history this decade. Eastern is 1-9-1 against BU in the last nine years, posting its last victory in the series in the 2000 regular-season finale in Charleston.
However, rarely during that span has an EIU-Bradley game been one-sided. Five of the Braves' nine wins this decade have been by a single goal, including a 2002 overtime victory in Peoria and 1-0 finals in 2005 and 2006. Furthermore, in both the 2004 and 2007 regular-season meetings, the Panthers took a 1-0 lead into halftime only to see Bradley rally back for a 2-1 win.
Darby Kehoe scored EIU's lone goal in the 3-1 loss in Peoria last season.
Chris Pearson gave the Panthers their halftime lead in 2007.
Bradley opened the season with a five-game unbeaten streak (4-0-1) but has gone 1-5 since. Eastern played in the Braves' four-team tournament over Labor Day Weekend, with Bradley winning the event on goal differential after playing Memphis to a 1-1 draw and defeating Mercer, 3-0. The Braves were also a 4-0 winner Sept. 25 against Central Arkansas, the only other nonconference common opponent.
Beginning with the Oct. 21 game at Drake, EIU is slated to play three games in a six-day stretch. Creighton and Asbury visit Lakeside Field Oct. 24 and 26, respectively.
More Info: Contact
Ben Turner, Asst. SID
