CHARLESTON, Ill. -- The Eastern Illinois women's rugby squad will travel to Columbia, Mo. on Saturday to face Big XII foe Missouri at 2 pm, as the Panthers are on track to earn the program's third consecutive 10-win season.

EIU heads to Mizzou at 9-1 on the season, having now won six straight contests following the tough road loss at Grand Valley Stand earlier in the season which snapped a program-high 29-game winning streak.

THE EIU-MISSOURI SERIES ...
Saturday will be the third meeting between the two feline squads, as the Panthers previously downed the Tigers 68-0 in 2002 and most recently won an 87-6 game last year, with both meetings held at EIU's Lakeside Field.

SEVERAL PANTHERS EARN SPOT IN PANTHER RECORD BOOKS ...
So far this season, the Panthers have earned nearly 30 single-game entries into the EIU record books, including sophomore Lauren Doyle tying game records for runs over 20-yards and steals-at-tackle.  She had seven runs at Illinois and five steals against UW-Milwaukee.

As a team, the 2010 Panthers set a new total steals-at-tackle mark with 15 in the 45-0 rout at UW-Milwaukee.

In single-season totals, Doyle, Cara Hahne and Coartney McKinney have already earned at Top 15 single-season ranking for points scored, with Doyle's 140 points currently tied as the sixth best single-season mark.

Meanwhile, McKinney's 47 total conversions is the second best single-season tally and just nine shy of her career-high 57 two-pointers she notched back in 2008.

Doyle is also currently ranked sixth in single-season trys (28) and assists (19), while ranking ninth for runs over 20-yards (18), and has already tallied the top steals-at-tackle mark with 20 so far this year.

A quick look at the career numbers has a variety of Panthers en route to securing their place in the EIU record books for some time to come.  Doyle continues to make a name for herself as she is currently ranked seventh in points (279), fifth in trys (5), fifth in assists (31), third in runs (50), and tenth for all-time steals (22).

McKinney is also listed numerous times, including owning the top conversion mark (146) in just three seasons, while also ranking fourth for points (330) and 13th in career assists (20).

Junior co-captain Narissa Ramirez has the 13th best try total (16), second highest career assist tally (53), 16th tackle mark (90), seventh best career assisted stops (62), and sixth best all-time steals mark (25).

PRE-GAME THOUGHTS FROM COACH GRAZIANO ...
"Despite a 20-minute span in the second half last weekend, the squad had a nice defensive game against Iowa State," said 12th year head coach Frank Graziano.   "We kind of lost our focus, but it was still good to see us play well and earn the shutout.

"After losing at Grand Valley, we talked about our goals for the rest of the season.  To possibly continue to finish with the second-best shutout mark of any squad would be great.  It makes for a nice memorable day, especially winning on senior day last weekend.  Which is always one for our seniors -- Emily Harrison, Coartney McKinney and Kristy Young -- to definitely remember.

"We have played Missouri twice, winning both, as we have played well against them.  I haven't done much research on their squad yet, but will look into prior to Saturday.  Luckily we don't have any injuries, which is good.  We were actually were able to put Sarah Sremaniak back out there for a half last week with a soft cast on her injured pinky.  So I'm excited to put her back out on the field and play a full game.

"The season finale is always an emotional type of contest, as this is definitely the final game for the seniors.  Right now the weather looking good yet again, so we are excited about having another 60-degree game day in November.  Since we have never been to that campus before we plan on getting there early to walk around and stretch our legs following the bus ride over.  Mizzou has come here a couple of times so it will be nice to finally return the favor."

PANTHERS RETURN 19 FOR NEXT SEASON ...
EIU will lose three players from the 2010 squad, but return 19 for 2011, which will mark the 10th season as the premiere NCAA Division I women's rugby program, and 14th EIU season all-time.

... for more info, contact Bart Rettberg, Asst. SID