The women’s soccer team wants to start things a little differently this year. After having high expectations last season, the Panthers lost three of their first five games, leaving many questions to be answered.

Head coach Steve Ballard was able to put the start behind him as his team made a second straight trip to the NCAA tournament.

This time Ballard hopes to see success come earlier when Eastern makes its first appearance at 4 p.m. Friday at Lakeside Field against Western Illinois.

“(Last year) there were games we should have won and ended up dominating and then lost,” Ballard said. “We just want to play at a level that I know we are capable of playing at.”

Not only will it be the team’s first appearance of the season, the teams will get their first tastes of a new NCAA soccer rule.

In previous years, players could re-enter the game after being substituted for, but the NCAA wanted to be more in line with international rules. So, once a player leaves the field they are done for the game.

Ballard said he isn’t in complete favor of the rule change.

“It’s equal for every team,” Ballard said. “Having good depth is extremely important, and we’ve got that.”

Ballard said substituting players is going to be a little easier for his team because of that depth.

“I feel comfortable with the team that I put out on the field and the players on the bench,” Ballard said. “No one person will cripple this team.”

Western Illinois will be Eastern’s first test, but Ballard said the true test comes Monday when they play Missouri Valley Conference contender Illinois State who beat the Panthers last season 2-1 .

“Monday is a statement game,” Ballard said. “They are a quality program that we have not beaten in a few years.”