EASTERN ILLINOIS at DAVENPORT
Game Details	2 p.m.  |  Sat., Oct.5, 2013  |  Grand Rapids, Mich.
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CHARLESTON, Ill. -- Following an off-week, Eastern Illinois women's rugby jumps back into road action this weekend, with the Panthers traveling to Grand Rapids, Mich. for a 2 p.m. contest at Davenport on Saturday (Oct. 5).  EIU enters the weekend at 0-4 on the season.

HEAD COACH FRANK GRAZIANO
Graziano is in his 15th season as skipper of the Panthers.  He owns a 118-25 overall mark, which includes a 4-3 record in NCAA contests.  EIU sports a 125-26 all-time program record, as the sport first took the field during the fall of 1998.

ALL-TIME EIU/DUSERIES
EIU will meet the NAIA Davenport Panthers for the first time on the rugby field, with Davenport currently owning a 3-0 record in the season as they have already scorred 199 points on the year, including blanking both Calvin College and Western Michigan by identical 72-0 scores.

QUOTING COACH GRAZIANO
"OUr squad does not have to change the style of play in order to win on Saturday, but we simply need to execute our game plan... that is where the breakdown is... whether it is a lack of confidence on gameday, I think that is part of it... we are still struggling... we are a good practice team, but we haven't made the transition yet... with the exception of Ellen Wilson and Kim Youhas, who are playing the lock position, everyone else on the team is either new or playing a new position... so being nervous is part of the reason the players are having a lack of confidence on game day... it is going to take some internal fortitude on their part to look at themselves and say "I can do this"... despite yelling it on the sideline, it still has to come from within.... I am certainly their biggest fan and their biggest cheerleader.... but until they actually do it and prove it to themselves in the middle of the game, it still becomes part of an unknown."

OFFENSIVE & DEFENSIVE NUMBERS
Sophomore Hannah Vieth continues to lead all Panthers in scoring with 13 total points, as she is one of four different players to hae scampered for a try this fall.  She is also a nice 2-for-3 in penalty kicks this season.

Defensively, redshirt freshman Emily Thornton owns a team-best 26 solo tackles and has six additional assisted stops and the lone steals-at-tackle mark with two.  Junior Carissa Burge follows with 25 tackles while newcomer Miranda Hankins has added 22 solo stops.

Sophomore Jasmine Gardner has paced the EIU attack with five runs over 20-yards.

WEEKEND WEATHER PROJECTION
According to weather.com, the Saturday outlook could be a mixed bag as there is a 50% chance of rain along with scattered thunderstorms being called for in the Grand Rapids area.

QUICK LOOK AHEAD TO NEXT WEEK.
Following Saturday's contest at DU, the Panthers will prepare for a noon game at Tennessee next Saturday on Oct. 12.

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