Eastern Illinois (1-4-2) vs. Western Illinois (2-4-2)   

Saturday, September 26 

2:00 p.m. at Charleston, Ill. (Lakeside Field) 

Live Stats I YouTube 

ON TAP: Eastern Illinois men's soccer opens Ohio Valley Conference play on Saturday as the Panthers host Western Illinois at Lakeside Field. Kickoff is set for 2PM with the match available on YouTube and Live Stats.  

OPENING OVC PLAY: The Panthers enter their first conference match of the season looking to carry momentum into OVC play. EIU is coming off a 2-1 road loss at Marshall on Tuesday night, with the Panthers scoring their lone goal in the second half. 

Eastern Illinois currently sits at 1-4-2 on the season. 

AYELO EARNS OVC HONOR: Junior Marcos Ayelo was recognized by the Ohio Valley Conference this week, earning OVC Offensive Player of the Week honors. Ayelo has been a key offensive presence for the Panthers this season and recently recorded a two-goal performance against Chicago State. 

PANTHERS VS. LEATHERNECKS: Western Illinois enters Saturday's matchup looking to make an early statement in OVC play. The Leathernecks and Panthers will meet in the first conference match of the season for both teams, with three points on the line in the OVC standings. 

LOOKING FOR A STRONG START: With conference play underway, Eastern Illinois will look to establish its defensive shape, create offensive opportunities and put together a complete 90-minute performance against its in-state conference opponent. 

NEXT UP: Following Saturday's OVC opener, Eastern Illinois will continue conference play with the University of Southern Indiana on October 5 at Evansville, Indiana.