After a season in which the Eastern men’s soccer team finished in fifth place in the Missouri Valley Conference, it will look to take the next step this season, and become one the MVCs elite teams.

“We were a consistent team last season, and we did pretty well against the mid-level teams,” Eastern head coach Adam Howarth said. “But we have to make to take the next step and start to beat the better teams in our conference.”

The Panthers finished with a 12-6-1 record last season and were picked to finish seventh in the conference by MVC coaches. But after the success of last season Howarth thinks his team will be better than expected.

“We are not that far away from being in the handful of teams in our conference that are good,” Howarth said. “We have a very tough schedule with both our conference and non-conference schedule. If we perform well, well have a good season.”

Part of Eastern’s tough schedule will be their MVC foes, which include the Nos. 2, 3 and 15 teams in the nation according to the National Soccer Coaches Association of America in Creighton, Southern Methodist and St. Louis University respectively.

“We have some teams in our conference that are in the nation’s elite teams,” Howarth said. “We had three teams that made the national tournament, and two of those that made the Final Four.”

One of Eastern’s strong points this season will be its ability to put the ball in the back of the net. With three veterans returning up front including pre-season second-team All-American Jason Thompson. Thompson led the nation in scoring with 21 goals in his freshman season.

Thompson’s performance last season and over the summer was good enough for him to make US National ‘B’ team.

“Obviously, Jason is the guy who we are looking at to score goals and get us going on the offensive end,” Howarth said. “Other teams are definitely going to key on him. We realize that and have to adjust to it and have other guys fill the net.”

Two of the forwards that will have to pick up the scoring slack are senior Derrick Perry and Junior Patrick Thomas.

“I think Derrick and Pat will both be able to do some very nice things offensively,” Howarth said. “Both of them have done some things for us before, especially Derrick. Both of them are more than capable of scoring goals.”

Many soccer games are won in the middle of the field, which will be another advantage for the Panthers in 2001, as they have three veterans in the middle.

Team captain Ben Cox will take care of most of the action and will be helped by Aaron Aguirre and Tim Fredin, both of whom have had solid careers for Eastern thus far.

“We are very strong in the middle of the field,” Howarth said. “Cox is the leader of the pack back there, while Fredin and Aguirre are both very solid out there as well.”

The players that will be the last line of defense before the keeper this season are all quality as well with Bobby Ewan, Curtis Schart and Ryan Hunt all coming back.

“The guys we have playing defense are some of are best athletes and are all