Tweet #EIUBleedBlue

Eastern Illinois (5-4-1, 0-1 OVC) at Belmont (5-3-1, 1-1 OVC)
Friday, September 22
4 pm at Nashville, Tenn.
Live Stats  |  Live Video - OVC Digital Network
 
Eastern Illinois at Austin Peay (5-3-1, 0-1-1 OVC)
Sunday, September 24
1 pm at Clarksville, Tenn.
Live Stats  |  Live Video - OVC Digital Network 


ON-TAP: Eastern Illinois continues Ohio Valley Conference action this weekend as they travel to Belmont and Austin Peay for the weekend.  The Panthers lost both matches last weekend falling 1-0 at NAIA No. 22 ranked Marian University on Friday evening on a penalty kick.  On Sunday they dropped their OVC opener at home to SIUE, 3-0.  EIU is now 5-4-1, 0-1 in the OVC for the season.   Belmont enters the weekend at 5-3-1, 1-1 in the OVC while APSU is 5-3-1, 0-1-1 in the OVC.
 
SHUT OUT FOR THE WEEKEND:  Eastern Illinois women's soccer was shutout in both matches over the weekend marking the second and third times this season that the Panthers have failed to score at least one goal.  The last time EIU was shutout this season was in a 2-0 loss to Milwaukee on August 27.  The two losses snapped a three-match win streak EIU had been on from Sept. 3-10. 

STOLFA AMONG OVC LEADERS:  Kayla Stolfa continues to rank among both the Ohio Valley Conference and NCAA leaders this season in assists.  Stolfa enters the weekend ranked first in the OVC with five assists.  That total places the junior defender 17th in the NCAA.  Earlier this season Stolfa tied the OVC record for assists with four in the Panthers win over Chicago State. 

EIU SCORING RACE: Eastern Illinois has had balanced scoring this season as the Panthers have produced their highest goal total since the 2014 season already passing their season totals for 2015 (15 goals) and  2016 (10 goals).  The scoring race has been balanced this season with eight different players scoring at least one goal as EIU has 16 total goals.  Kate Olson, Hannah Heinz and Sarah DeWolf are tied for the team lead with three goals each.
 
TWO KEEPERS THIS SEASON: Sophomore Sara Teteak opened the season in goal for the Panthers and helped EIU to a 2-2-1 start on the season posting a 1.15 goals against average with 17 saves.  Teteak was injured at the end of the overtime loss at Valparaiso and redshirt sophomore Maddie Lyon has taken over in goal since that time.  Lyon helped guide EIU to three straight wins before the Panthers were shutout twice last weekend.  For the season Lyon has a 1.55 goals against average with 18 saves.
 
SERIES HISTORY: Eastern Illinois and Belmont will be meeting for the eighth time on Friday afternoon on the pitch in Nashville.  Belmont has won three straight in the series to take a 4-3 all-time series lead.  The Bruins won last year's match 1-0.  EIU and Austin Peay will meet on Sunday with the two schools facing off for the 16th time. EIU won 1-0 last year in Charleston and holds a 8-5-2 all-time series lead.

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.  Lara is assisted this season by Jake Plant and Ashley Ross.