Box Score

DES MOINES, Iowa – The Eastern Illinois men's soccer team continued their stellar exhibition match play with a wild 4-2 win over the Drake Bulldogs. Junior Justin Oliver put on yet another show recording three of EIU's four goals giving him five total goals throughout the past two exhibition games.

Oliver picked up right where he left off against Saint Xavier breaking open the scoring against the Bulldogs in the first period. Christian Sosnowski set up the goal by intercepting a long pass leading to a breakaway towards the Drake goalkeeper. Sosnowski was able to find Oliver for the easy tap in goal earning the assist and putting EIU up 1-0 in the 25th minute.

The Panthers finished the first half up 1-0 over Drake with only one shot to their name.  

Kris Luke recorded EIU's second shot and second goal early in the second half. After a foul by a Drake player Zach Medawattage took the free kick sending a long pass to a waiting Luke who drilled a shot into the far post. The goal marks Luke's first goal in a Panther uniform as he gave EIU a 2-0 lead in the 52nd minute.

The Bulldogs pulled one back shortly afterward on a set piece of their own as Drake earned a corner kick in the 61st minute. Drake's Steven Enna headed home the corner kick by Nic Jaimes to make it 2-1.
Oliver gave EIU some valuable breathing room with yet another goal midway through the second period. Oliver managed to steal the ball just outside of the penalty area for a fast break goal to put the Panthers up 3-1 in the 69th minute.        

Drake refused to go away as the Bulldogs' Jaimes found himself one-on-one with EIU's goalkeeper Mike Novotny. Jaimes was able to chip Novotny and bring Drake back into the match once again with a 3-2 score in the 78th minute.

Drake's late charge would prove to be unsuccessful as Oliver sealed the victory for the Panthers with his third goal of the match. Oliver robbed a Bulldog defender leading to a breakaway and his first ever hat trick as he earned the final score of 4-2 in the 89th minute.

Oliver finished the match with four shots, all on goal. Brendan McDonough and Alessandro Corti each recorded a shot in the match.

Mike Novotny played all 90 minutes of the match recording one save while facing 14 shots.

The Panthers close out exhibition play this Saturday on Lakeside Field against Illinois-Springfield at 3 p.m.