Eastern Illinois (2-4-3, 1-0-1 OVC) vs. Murray State (5-1-1, 1-0 OVC)
Friday, September 21
12 pm at Lakeside Field
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Eastern Illinois vs. Austin Peay (6-2-1, 1-0-1 OVC)
Sunday, September 23
1 pm at Lakeside Field
Live Stats |
ON-TAP: Eastern Illinois has a big weekend of women's soccer ahead as the Panthers host two of the top teams in the early season OVC race. On Friday, EIU will host defending league champion Murray State at 12 p.m. The Racers are 5-1-1 on the season and 1-0 in the OVC. On Sunday, the Panthers will play host to co-OVC leader Austin Peay at 1 p.m. at Lakeside Field. The Governors are 6-2-1 on the year, 1-0-1 in the OVC. Following last weekend's win at Morehead State and tie at Eastern Kentucky, EIU enters the weekend at 2-4-3, 1-0-1 in the OVC.
EARLY OVC POINTS: Eastern Illinois got off to a good start in the Ohio Valley Conference race as the Panthers posted four points in the standings after a road swing to Morehead State and Eastern Kentucky. EIU is currently tied for first in the conference race with Austin Peay. This is the best start to an OVC season for EIU since the 2013 season when the Panthers opened the year with four straight conference wins to make the OVC Tournament Field. The 2013 season was also the last time that EIU made the OVC post-season tournament.
TETEAK WINS OVC GOALKEEPER AWARD: Sara Teteak was solid in goal over the weekend as she posted a pair of shutouts to help EIU open with a 1-0-1 record in Ohio Valley Conference play. She was named the OVC Goalkeeper of the Week for her efforts as she made ten saves during 200 minutes in goal. It was the third and fourth time this season that Teteak has posted shutouts as she moved into fourth on the EIU career list with 11 career shutouts.
OLSON WINS OVC DEFENDER AWARD: Kate Olson was named the Ohio Valley Conference Defensive Player of the Week after the Panthers posted a pair of clean sheets to open Ohio Valley Conference play. Olson played all 200 minutes on the field as EIU beat Morehead State 1-0 on Friday night and played to a 0-0 draw with Eastern Kentucky on Sunday. On Sunday Olson was part of an EIU defense that limited the Colonels to only two shots on goal. This is the second career player of the week award for Olson after she won OVC Offensive Player of the Week honors one time last season.
TEAM SCORING RACE HEATS UP: The team scoring race continues to heat up as
Lexi Ketterhagen scored her second goal of the season with the game winner last Friday at Morehead State. Ketterhagen is now tied with
Sarah DeWolf and
Haylee Renick for the team lead with two goals each. All three players are also tied for the overall points lead with five. Four total players have scored goals this season for EIU while seven different players have picked up assists.
DOG DAY PROMOTION: Eastern Illinois women's soccer fans and dog lovers are encouraged to bring their four-legged friends to this Sunday's EIU women's soccer match with Austin Peay. Each dog will receive a free treat and a free take home gift at the match. Admission to all EIU women's soccer matches is free. Dogs must be kept on leashes for the entire match.
SERIES HISTORY: Eastern Illinois and Murray State will be meeting for the 21st time on Friday afternoon. The all-time series is tied between the schools 8-8-4. Murray State has won four straight in the series including a 1-0 win in Murray last year. On Sunday EIU and Austin Peay will be meeting for the 17th time. EIU holds a 8-6-2 all-time series lead. The two schools have split the last two matches with EIU winning at home in 2016 and APSU winning at home last season, 2-0.
NEXT UP: Following this weekend's matches, EIU will remain at home next weekend hosting Belmont on Friday, Sept. 28 and UT Martin on Sunday, Sept. 30. The Sunday match will be the Panthers senior day.
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.
