Box Score  |  Photo Gallery (by Sandy King)

CHARLESTON, Ill. - The Eastern Illinois men's soccer team closed out their four-match home stand on a high note Wednesday afternoon defeating Saint Ambrose 2-1. With the win the Panthers improve to 2-2-1 on the season while the Fighting Bees fall to 1-3-1

Kris Luke led the team with three shots, two on goal and earned his first career goal as a Panther in what would become the match-winning goal. 

The first half was an uneventful affair between the two squads as both EIU and SAU managed only four shots throughout the first period. Luke had the Panthers only shot on goal in the first half as the period came to a close with the teams tied 0-0.

Tyler Massa eventually broke the stalemate midway through the second half recording his first goal of the season cleaning up a parried save from the SAU goalkeeper. Teammate Tim Pieper drove into the penalty area and ripped a shot forcing SAU's Tom Greensall to make a diving save and deflect the ball back into the box. Unfortunately for Greensall the ball rolled right to the feet off Massa who sent the ball into the back of the net to put EIU up 1-0 in the 63rd minute.

Luke would make his mark on the match less than 10 minutes later thanks to a Panther corner kick. Julian Montoya sent the ball into the penalty area eventually leading to a shot from Miguel Carillo and another parry from Greensall. After a scramble for the ball in the box, Montoya eventually found Luke who gave EIU a 2-0 cushion in the 72nd minute.

The Panthers would need their two-goal lead as Saint Ambrose's Shaquille Jones raced down the field to fire off a shot at EIU keeper Mike Novotny just two minutes later. Novotny saved the shot but was forced to hit the ball up in the air eventually falling to SAU's Nicolas Vizuete who did not waste the opportunity. The Fighting Bees pulled within one following the goal to make it 2-1 in the 74th minute. 

EIU sat back and defended the Saint Ambrose attack in the last minutes of the match to earn the 2-1 victory.

Novotny finished the match with three saves. 

Miguel Carillo recorded two shots during the match, both on goal. Alessandro Corti, Justin Oliver, and Yann Nsoga all tallied one shot each.

The Panthers head back out on the road this Sunday taking on Western Michigan at 11 a.m.