MACOMB, Ill. - Eastern Illinois men's soccer finish their three game road trip with a 6-0 loss to Western Illinois. The loss drops the Panthers to 2-9 on the season and 0-3 in conference play while Western Illinois improves to 5-8-1 overall and 2-2 in OVC matches.

Brothers Tyler Oliver and Justin Oliver led EIU with one shot a piece accounting for the teams only two shots of the match. Goalkeeper Mike Novotny added 90 minutes and another match to his career record further advancing him up the ranks of all-time goalkeepers at Eastern Illinois. Novotny also reeled in three saves during the match.

The Panthers continued their season trend of stout defense in the first half only allowing two goals in the first period for the second time this season. In all 11 games this season EIU has given up two or less goals in the first period of matches with only 11 of the 38 goals against the Panthers coming during the opening half. Drew Whalen started the scoring for Western Illinois as he received the ball in the center of the penaly box and slotted it into the net to put the Leathernecks up 1-0 in the 26th minute. Whalen would add another goal to his game tally in the 33rd minute after heading in a cross into the box to give WIU a 2-0 lead going into halftime.

Whalen would earn his hat trick in the second half as his shot was deflected by an EIU defender and ended up in the back of the net extending the Leathernecks lead to 3-0 in the 51st minute. Western illinois was not finished as they would add three more goals within ten minutes of each other starting with a goal from Sammuel Worsley in the 76th minute followed by goals from Jacob Bevan in the 83rd minute and Fernando Pacheco in the 85th minute to reach the final score of 6-0.

The Panthers return to Lakeside Field this Wednesday [Oct. 21] at 3 p.m. as they host Northern Kentucky.