Kickoff Wednesday against Drake (10-6-1, 5-3-0 MVC) is slated for 2:30 p.m. Saturday's regular-season finale versus No. 22 Missouri State (11-3-2, 6-1-1 MVC) is set to begin at 2 p.m.
Senior Day ceremonies are to precede kickoff Saturday. The Panthers' five seniors –
Jim Adee,
Nick Bonacker,
Jeff Kupiec,
Chris Pearson and
Evan Philpott – will be honored for their contributions to the program. Philpott will also be recognized prior to Wednesday's game in the fifth and final edition of the senior day series.
As the winningest class this decade, EIU's five seniors have helped lead the program to 34 victories during their careers. Eastern has compiled a 12-8-4 record at Lakeside Field since 2006.
The Panthers (6-7-3, 2-5-1 MVC) enter the week having posted a shutout in each of their last three home games, compiling a streak of 313 consecutive minutes without a surrendering a goal in the process.
Missouri State defeated Drake, 3-2, in overtime Sunday and can win the Missouri Valley Conference regular-season title with one victory this week. The Bears host Evansville Wednesday. Eastern remains the only MVC team to defeat MSU this season, 3-0, Oct. 4 in Springfield. Those three goals represent the most MSU has surrendered in a game. Missouri State enters the week having won six consecutive games.
Come Saturday, 33 days will have passed since the first EIU-MSU meeting of the year. That represents the longest span in the conference this season.
Drake was selected as the predetermined host of the four-team Valley Tournament in the spring. The Bulldogs still have a chance at claiming the regular-season conference title, but realistically need two wins this week and some help from EIU and Evansville in their games against Missouri State.
The Panthers were eliminated from MVC Tournament contention with their loss at Bradley Saturday, ending a streak of four consecutive tourney appearances. It was EIU's longest such streak since joining the league in 1996.
Each of the last two Eastern-Drake meetings in Charleston has ended in a draw. The Panthers last win in the series was in the opening round of the 2007 MVC Tournament. Eastern has not beaten DU in Charleston since 1998.
The Bulldogs won the first meeting this season, 3-0, on a rainy night in Des Moines last month. Drake goalkeeper Jordan Kadlec made his first start of the season that night and was also in net for both of his team's games last week.
Alex Harrison is the only active Panther with a goal in his career against Drake, scoring in Des Moines last season.
Jerry Maddi,
Jonathan Hinds and Pearson scored in EIU's win at Missouri State last month. Pearson has recorded two of his five career goals against the Bears.
The last Eastern-MSU game in Charleston featured a combined six goals, with the Panthers winning 4-2.
Darby Kehoe accounted for EIU's final score.
Saturday's game will feature the two individual MVC leaders in assists. Johannes Demarzi and Harrison have both setup nine goals entering the week.
Missouri State's plus-13 goal differential is tops in the league. Goalkeeper Alex Riggs was a First Team All-MVC selection in 2008 and has played all but 11 minutes this season. Meanwhile, seven different MSU field players have accounted for multiple goals.
The Panthers could still finish in a fourth-place with Evansville in the final MVC standings, but would lose the potential tiebreaker for the final tournament berth.
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Ben Turner, Asst. SID
