[Box Score] [Photo by Patrick Clark]

EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. - Eastern Illinois men's soccer lost 2-0 on the road in a foggy Tuesday [Nov. 3] evening match against SIU Edwardsville. The third straight loss drops the Panthers to 3-13 on the season with one match left to play while SIUE improved to 11-3-1.

Goalkeeper Mike Novotny faced 12 different shots coming off back-to-back Summit League Defensive Player of the Week Awards, pulling in two saves during the match and facing two seperate penalty kicks. Brothers Justin Oliver and Tyler Oliver had the only shots of the match for the Panthers with Justin Oliver taking two shots while Tyler Oliver earned one shot.

The Cougars came out of the gate quickly against EIU as Ivan Gutierrez sent a cross into the box that SIUE's Mohamed Awad headed home to give Edwardville a 1-0 lead in the 8th minute. The SIUE attack would not let up throughout the first period as the Cougars would fire seven shots in the first half as they looked to extend their lead. The Cougars earned a chance in the 40th minute after Andrew Kendall-Moullin was taken down in the box to earn a penalty kick. Kendall-Moullin sent the shot past Novotny to give SIUE a 2-0 lead with less than five minutes left in the period.

It was a much more defensive second half as the Panthers held SIUE scoreless throughout the second period. The Cougars earned another penalty kick in the 64th minute as SIUE's Jabari Danzy was fouled making a run into the box. Novotny would not be defeated again as he saved yet another penalty kick taken by the Cougars' Kendall-Moullin. The Panthers did their best to get a goal back in the second period with all three of the shots taken by EIU coming in the second half, but the early goals proved to be the decider as the match ended 2-0.

The Panthers will close out their season at home this Saturday [Nov. 7] at 10 a.m. as they host conference opponent Omaha on Senior Day.