After two years making trial runs in the Women’s College Cup, Eastern looks to have its best shot at obtaining its first ever NCAA tournament victory.

When Missouri flashed on the television screen I could see the look of ‘This is our chance,” on the Eastern players’ faces.

This is the chance the Panthers have been waiting for ever since they were knocked out of last season’s College Cup on penalty kicks to Purdue in South Bend, Ind.

The previous year they were given Notre Dame, one of the elite of women’s college soccer and were sent back to Charleston not knowing what hit them.

This time, things are different. Eastern knows the team it is playing and it knows it is capable of pulling off a victory.

The Panthers walked off the field in Colombia, Mo., two months ago barely falling to the Tigers 3-2 in overtime. This is reason No. 1 why Eastern should feel good about who they are playing.

Any time you can play a Big 12 team well on its home field is a good indication of what your team is capable of doing. And playing there a second time – who knows what could happen?

Though the Tigers will be playing at home and have played there several more times than Eastern’s one game, that one game still helps a whole lot.

Eastern proved that last season when it had to return to Notre Dame and almost came away with a win. So experience definitely helps the Panthers’ situation.

Reason No. 2 to feel good about the draw against Missouri – a complete and healthy team. At the beginning of the season, the Panthers had numerous injuries in all places on the field including All-conference player Lee Ann Langsfeld.

Langsfeld did not play until the third game of the season and didn’t really feel at her top level for part of the season. But she said she is now 100 percent healthy and ready to lead the defense at the sweeper position.

Combine Langsfeld and junior Audra Frericks, who was a utility player for most of the season, third team Ohio Valley Conference goalkeeper Tiffany Groene should be confident in the defensive corps in front of her.

And then there is reason No. 3. What team in its right mind would want to play senior forward Beth Liesen in what could potentially be her last game.

That’s a scary thought. Eastern’s all-time leading goal scorer doing everything she can to make sure her career continues would be any goalie’s nightmare.

Liesen and the rest of the Panther offense will be pressing a team that gave up 1.76 goals per game. I realize the Tigers played tough competition all season, but that competition did include Eastern.

I bet the Eastern offense is one of the better offensive units Missouri has faced and has become even better since they last played.

So the Panthers should be holding their heads high right now. If they can muster up their best soccer, they can and will win.