Eastern Illinois (1-1-1) vs. Bradley (3-0-1)
Friday, September 7
7 pm at Peoria, Ill.
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Eastern Illinois vs. Mercer (4-0)
Sunday, Sept. 2
1 pm at Lakeside Field
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ON-TAP: The Panthers will play in a two game tournament in Peoria, Ill. this weekend. EIU will play host Bradley Friday Sept. 7 at 7 pm followed by Mercer on Sunday Sept. 9 at 11 am. The Panthers are 1-1-1 while the Braves are 3-0-1 heading into Friday's match. Mercer is on a four game win streak to open their season and will play Missouri State Friday night.
BURKE EARNS POW:Â The Summit League named goalkeeper
Jonathan Burke their Defensive Player of the Week earlier this week. Burke earned his first career shutout in his first career start at Cincinnati to open the 2018 season. In the Panthers 2-0 win, Burke played 90 minutes in the net and made four stops. He made another six saves in EIU's 1-1 tie vs. Evansville in the team's home opener.
SCORING SOSNOWSKI: Christian Sosnowski has two goals on through the first three matches for the Panthers. Sosnowski found the back of the net in the Panthers season opener at Cincinnati. He scored the second goal of the match on a penalty kick. He scored his second goal of the season vs. Evansville on a free kick in the first half of play. Sosnowski finished last season with only one goal.Â
SERIES HISTORY: Bradley holds a 17-8-2 advantage over EIU in their all-time series match-up. The teams last met in Peoria last season. The Panthers fell 0-1 to the Braves mid-way through the season. The Panthers have only played one match vs. Mercer back in the 2009 season. The teams met in Peoria, Ill. for another tournament held by Bradley, and they played to a 0-0 draw.
SCOUTING BRADLEY: The Braves are 3-0-1 to open the season. They tied their season opener vs. Gonzaga 2-2. They picked up their first win over Summit League member Oral Roberts followed by two more wins over IUPUI and Princeton. Bradley has three players with two goals so far this season.
SCOUTING MERCER: Mercer is on a 4-0 win streak to open the season with two shutout wins over Jacksonville (4-0) and Winthrop (2-0). Ramario Thompson leads the team with three goals while Roberto Arteaga has one goal four assists.
HEAD COACH:Â
Kiki Lara is in his fourth season as EIU men's soccer head coach. Last season, Lara coach the Panthers to a 4-9-6 overall record and their second consecutive post season appearance. Lara also coached the Summit League's Goalkeeper of the Year and two All-Newcomer Team selections last season.
