EVANSVILLE, Ind. - The Eastern Illinois men's soccer team visited Southern Indiana in a game where getting the three points was a must for both teams. With the OVC tournament only a couple of weeks away, the Panthers and the Screaming Eagles had no choice but to win to stay in the fight for a spot in the tournament.
With that in mind, both teams started the game looking to strike first, and the Panthers did not take long to do so. In the 12th minute,
Julian Smith had time to bring down a ball flicked into the penalty kick spot by
Felipe Kerr Lourenco, the senior midfielder then cut off one defender before scoring EIU's first goal with a low left shot. The Panthers were not satisfied with the 1-0 lead and kept most of its action on the attacking third of the field for the remainder of the initial half. In the 24th minute,
Sam Eccles dribbled past a couple of defenders before taking the shot from the top of the box to double EIU's lead at halftime, 2-0.
In the second half the game became more balanced, as USI tried to increase its offensive action. However, the Panthers defense kept its organization to neutralize any attempt coming from the Screaming Eagles. Goalkeeper
Chad Smith ended the match with two saves to secure his second straight shutout, and third overall. It was also the third clean sheet of the season for EIU.
The Panthers outshot Southern Indiana 9-2 on shots on target.
It was Smith's first goal of the season while Eccles leads the team with four. EIU improved to a 2-4-1 conference record, and 3-8-3 overall.
Up next: EIU is once again on the road to face the Lions of Lindenwood on Sunday, Oct. 22nd. Kickoff scheduled for 1 p.m.
