The room was a little less tense this time. As the Eastern women’s soccer team sat in the Student Recreation Center Monday afternoon, one could feel the nerves were not quite as high as the previous two years.

The Panthers awaited patiently to see who they would be playing this year in the Women’s College Cup as they make their third straight appearance.

When the television screen showed Eastern was headed to Colombia, Mo., to play the Missouri Tigers, the team erupted in cheer, knowing it would not have to go back to South Bend, Ind., for another year.

“We just wanted something different than Notre Dame,” junior Audra Frericks said. “I think we will have a little more confidence in Missouri.”

The last two seasons Eastern traveled to South Bend, losing to Notre Dame in 2001 and losing to Purdue in penalty kicks last season.

One of the first groups showcased on ESPNEWS were the four teams headed to Champaign, a location the Panthers thought they might have ended up.

“It would have been kind of nice to go to Champaign because it is closer,” sophomore defender Lee Ann Langsfeld said. “I think we would have had some more fans there, but I think some fans will still go to Missouri.”

Eastern coach Steve Ballard was pleased with his team being put in a group that does not feature one of the higher seeded teams. Kansas is the top team in the group with the 13 seed.

“It speaks well for our program that the committee put us in this group,” Ballard said. “Experience helps.”

That same experience may be what also gets the Panthers their first ever College Cup victory. Eastern narrowly lost to Missouri 3-2 in overtime on Sept. 19, and both players and coaches feel confident in their draw.

If Eastern (11-5-5) can win, they could earn a second round matchup against Illinois State, which plays Kansas. The Panthers traveled to Normal in their second game of the season losing 1-0 in a tightly contested game.

Missouri (11-10-2) received one of the field’s 35 at-large bids after making it to the Big 12 tournament championship and playing one of the toughest schedules in the country.

Illinois State (11-5-3) won the Missouri Valley Conference for one of the 29 automatic bids while Kansas (16-5-1) received an at-large bid from the Big 12.

Eastern and Illinois State were two of five teams from the state to qualify for the tournament after only Eastern made it last year.

Loyola, University of Illinois and DePaul join the instate teams, making an impressive representation.

“I just think that’s awesome considering last year we were the only one,” Langsfeld said. “That says a lot for Illinois soccer.”

Illinois is making its third trip to the College Cup and watched the bracket announcement in the basketball practice facility. The Fighting Illini found out quickly they would be hosting the first and second round matches for the second time in school history.

The 2003 Big Ten Champions will look to forget the first hosting experience in 2001 where they fell in the opening round to Syracuse.

Before they travel to Champaign, DePaul Head Coach John Wilson may be making a phone call to Ballard as the Blue Demons drew the Purdue Boliermakers in the first round.

Loyola University will look to pull off the biggest upset of the tournament as the Ramblers drawing the second-seeded Notre Dame Fighting Irish in South Bend, Ind.

Ballard said the progress of in-state schools has been mainly in part to the progress of Illinois high school players. The Panthers’ current roster has all 21 players from Illinois.

“Every one of those programs is homegrown talent, ” Ballard said. “That has been a big part of our success.”

Eastern will match up against the Missouri Tigers in first-round action Friday at 7 p.m.