The Eastern women’s soccer team earned a split in its two contests this weekend. On Friday, the Panthers lost a close contest to former top 25 Missouri 3-2 in overtime, and on Sunday defeated Southwest Missouri 3 -1 at Lakeside Field.

Southwest Missouri played most of the first half on Eastern’s side, but was unable to score any goals against Lindsay Dechert, who stopped seven shots.

Eastern was outshot by Missouri seven to three in the first half. Eastern still had chances to go into halftime up a goal or two, but was unable to put away its scoring chances.

“In the first half, we played too tentative,” head coach Steve Ballard said.

Eastern got on top in the 52nd minute of the game on a goal by Abby Bohnenstiehl on an assist by Lori Stutzman.

Eastern then scored another goal in the 66th minute on a volley from the 18-yard line by Beth Liesen, assisted by Teri LaRoche.

“After we scored that first goal, our defense really stepped up and came together as a team,” Sharyne Connell said.

“It was good to score because it put us up a little more and we started believing in ourselves a little more,” Liesen added.

Eastern then added another goal in the 73rd minute by LaRoche, assisted by Audra Frericks, to go up 3-0.

Southwest Missouri got on the board in the 85th minute on a breakaway goal by Dorothy Brown to make the score 3-1, which ended up being the final score.

“In the second half we played real well and stepped it up as a team,” Ballard said.

On Friday, Eastern traveled to play Missouri to take on the former top 25 Tigers. Eastern took the contest into overtime against the Tigers before eventually falling 3 -2.

In the first half, the Tigers peppered 14 shots on goal to Eastern’s two but Eastern entered halftime only down 1-0.

Eastern was able to even the score in the 84th minute on a goal by Beth Liesen, assisted by Lindsay Holcomb.

This tie was short-lived as Missouri came back in 11 seconds on a goal by Kristen Heil to take a 2 -1 lead. The 11 seconds between goals was the eighth fastest retaliation in NCAA history, and the fastest in Missouri history.

Eastern tied the score up once again on a goal by Amy Dix to send the game into overtime.

Missouri then went on to score on a corner kick in overtime to win the game 3 – 2.

“I thought that Friday was a great indicator of how well we can play,” Ballard said. “We played great as a team.”

Eastern resumes play at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Evansville.