Kickoff is slated for 8 p.m. at Shea Stadium, where the Panthers (6-6-3, 2-4-1 MVC) have already played twice this season and 12 times dating back to the reopening of the soccer-specific venue in 2003. Eastern battled Mercer to a scoreless draw and lost to Memphis at the Braves' four-team tournament the first weekend of the regular season.
Bradley (5-10-1, 0-8 MVC) was eliminated from Missouri Valley Conference Tournament contention last weekend. The Panthers cannot suffer a loss in any of their three remaining games and still qualify for the four-team tourney field.
Eastern defeated Bradley Oct. 18 in Charleston, ending a 10-game winless streak in the series. Saturday, EIU will be in search of its first win against the Braves in Peoria since 1996. The Panthers have recorded four victories in neutral-site games at Shea Stadium since 2003.
Evan Philpott scored the game-winning goal in the first meeting with Bradley this season, joining
Chris Pearson (2007) and
Darby Kehoe (2008) as active EIU players with goals against BU during their careers. However,
Alex Harrison and Pearson have also scored at Shea Stadium.
Eastern and Bradley also squared off on Halloween in 1997 (in Charleston) and 2003 (in Peoria). During the program's MVC era (1996-present), EIU has also played on Halloween in 1999 and 2004, hosting Vanderbilt and SMU, respectively.
The Panthers have posted shutouts in each of their last two games, recording back-to-back clean sheets for the second time this season. Goalkeeper
Sean Molony has established a new individual record in the program's MVC era with six shutouts. With one more shutout effort this season, EIU would also tie the team mark (eight) established in 2007.
The Braves are led by senior forward Chris Cutshaw, who has accounted for nine of his team's 18 goals this season. He continues to lead the Valley in goals but has not scored since BU's MVC home opener, Oct. 3 against Drake.
Defensively, Bradley has started each of its three goalkeepers over the last six games. Kyle Orne made his first start of the season Oct. 18 in Charleston and was again the starter Wednesday night in the loss at Drake.
Eastern closes out its regular-season schedule next week with home games against Drake (Wednesday) and No. 25 Missouri State (Saturday). Those two teams square off Sunday in Springfield, with the victor controlling the inside track to winning the MVC regular-season title. Entering the weekend, the Panthers remain the only Valley team to defeat MSU this season.
The annual Senior Recognition Day ceremonies will precede next Saturday's regular-season finale.
More Info: Contact
Ben Turner, Asst. SID
