Eastern Illinois at Green Bay
Friday, August 25
7 pm at Green Bay, Wis.
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Eastern Illinois at Milwaukee
Sunday, August 27
3 pm at Milwaukee, Wis
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EXHIBITION PLAY: Eastern Illinois men's soccer split their exhibition matches 1-1. The Panthers dropped their first match to Northwestern 2-1 on the road.
Jonathan Huerta scored EIU's only goal off a penalty kick in the 3rd period. EIU returned home to play Saint Xavier for their final exhibition match winning 2-0.
Alessandro Corti found the net off a header at the 48 minute mark. Huerta scored of a direct kick just minutes later which put the Panthers up 2-0 securing their win.
NEW FACES: EIU adds nine new members to their 2017 squad with three from overseas.
Edgar Mesa joins us from Spain,
Federico Verlichi from Italy, and
Erik Isaksson from Sweden.
Cameron Behm,
Zabdiel Justiniano,
Luke Kurili,
Shady Omar,
Anders-James Wermuth, and
Simeon Packer are the six American's joining the Panther's this season.
RETURNING GOALIE: The Panther's welcome back senior goalie
Mike Novotny. Novotny has earned All-Summit League Second Team honors for the 2015 and 2016 seasons. He logged over 1400 minutes in 23 matches in last season with 59 saves and a save percentage of 72. Novotny ranks fourth in career top-10 for saves (195), minutes in goal (4,242), and games in goal (47).
ALL-SUMMIT LEAGUE NEWCOMERS:
Alex Castaneda and
Jonathan Huerta are two players to keep an eye on this season. Both were named to the All-Summit League Newcomers Team for the 2016 season. Castaneda played 16 matches and had a team high six points and three goals for the 2016 season. Huerta followed close behind with five points and two goals for the Panther's
SERIES HISTORY: EIU and Green Bay will meet Friday night for their 25th match in program history. The Panthers hold a 13-8-3 all-time series record. Last season, EIU defeated the Phoenix 2-0 with goals from
Alex Castaneda and
Tyler Enright.
Yann Nsoga and
Jonathan Huerta assisted on the plays. The Panthers defense held Green Bay to zero shots on goal. EIU and Milwaukee are meeting for the 12th time on the field and are deadlocked at a 6-6 all-time series record. EIU fell to Milwaukee 2-1 early last season. The first goal came from Milwaukee just ten minutes into the second period followed closely by EIU's goal to tie the match. Milwaukee found the net once more in the second period securing their 2-1 win.
HEAD COACH:
Kiki Lara is in his second season as the EIU women's soccer head coach. Lara was hired as the men's soccer head coach in 2015 and was promoted to director of soccer overseeing both programs in the spring of 2016. Lara is a 2003 graduate of Incarnate Word and played in the USL First Division for five seasons. He came to EIU following a stint as the assistant men's soccer coach at Dayton.
