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Eastern Illinois (1-4-2) at Morehead State (1-7)
Friday, September 14
5 pm at Morehead, Ky.
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Eastern Illinois at Eastern Kentucky (4-4)
Sunday, September 16
12 pm at Richmond, Ky.
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ON-TAP: Eastern Illinois opens Ohio Valley Conference play this weekend as the Panthers travel to Morehead State on Friday before wrapping up the Kentucky swing at Eastern Kentucky on Sunday.  EIU is 1-4-2 on the season after losing at home to Indiana State and on the road at Northern Illinois.   Morehead State is 1-7 on the year while Eastern Kentucky is 4-4. 

OVC OPENERS: This will be the 20th Ohio Valley Conference opener for the Eastern Illinois women's soccer program with the Panthers looking to snap a four-match losing streak in conference openers.  EIU's last win to open a conference season was Sept. 27, 2013 when the Panthers beat Belmont in overtime.  EIU was 0-9-1 last season in the conference and the Panthers were picked to finish last in this year's preseason OVC poll.  EIU's last conference win was Oct. 16, 2016 with a 1-0 win over Austin Peay.

AGUERO WITH THE GOAL: Sophomore Itxaso Aguero gave the Panthers an early 1-0 lead last Friday against Indiana State.  It was the first career goal for the forward from Spain.  Itxaso became the fourth different Panther to score a goal this season.  She joins Sarah DeWolf (2), Haylee Renick (2) and Lexi Ketterhagen with goals scored.
 
EARLY POINTS LEADERS: Sarah DeWolf was credited with the assist on Itxaso Aguero's goal against Indiana State as the junior moved into a tie with Haylee Renick for the early season points lead.  Both players have scored two goals this year to go along with one assist.  Eight different players have scored points this year with four players scoring goals and seven players collecting an assist. 

STOPPING A PENALTY KICK: Goalkeeper Sara Teteak made a stop on a penalty kick last Friday against Indiana State as the Panthers have had three penalty kicks awarded against them this season.  Teteak was also in net the last time an EIU opponent failed on a penalty kick when IUPUI was 0-for-1 on PK's on Sept. 9, 2016.   The last time EIU had a penalty kick of its own was Sept. 1, 2017 when Emma Scaro converted against Valparaiso.
 
SERIES HISTORY: Eastern Illinois and Morehead State will be meeting for the 25th time on the pitch on Friday evening with the Panthers holding a 12-9-3 all-time series lead.  Morehead State has won four straight in the series including a 3-1 win in Charleston last season.  This will be the 15th meeting between Eastern Illinois and Eastern Kentucky with the all-time series tied at 7-7.  EKU has four straight including a 2-0 win at EIU last year.
 
NEXT UP: Following the two matches at Morehead State and Eastern Kentucky, the Panthers return home to play four straight matches at Lakeside Field.  EIU opens up the four-match home stand on Friday, Sept. 21 with a 12 pm match against Murray State.

HEAD COACH: Jake Plant enters his first season as the head coach of the Eastern Illinois women's soccer team.  A 2014 EIU alumnus and former member of the Panthers men's soccer program, Plant was the assistant coach for the both the men's and women's program for the last two years with one additional season as an assistant for the men's program.  He is a native of Birmingham, England.  He is assisted by Janet Cassidy and Dirk Bennett.