Eastern women’s soccer announced its 2007 season schedule Wednesday. The Panthers will play a Big 12 team in the regular season for the first time since 2004.

Eastern, coming off a second-place Ohio Valley Conference finish this past fall, will play at Missouri on Sept. 9.

“They called and were looking for a game,” said Eastern head coach Tim Nowak. “We always look forward to playing games against the so-called ‘bigger schools’ from bigger conferences.”

Nowak, who will enter his third year this upcoming fall as Eastern’s head coach, has his team starting the season on the road for the third straight year.

The Panthers open up the season Aug. 31 at Eastern Michigan and they will stay on the road for a Sept. 2 game at Bowling Green.

Nowak said starting the season on the road isn’t a disadvantage, especially with the fall semester just starting.

“From a coaching standpoint, it’s kind of nice because you can keep the team focused,” he said. “We kind of can get them away for a while.”

Eastern opens up at home against Indiana State on Sept. 5.

After playing Missouri, the Panthers have three straight home games against two new non-conference foes, Ball State and Western Kentucky, and in-state rival Western Illinois.

Eastern has never played Ball State or Western Kentucky in the Panthers’ 12-year history.

The Panthers start OVC play Sept. 28 at Eastern Kentucky.

-To view the complete 2007 schedule, click here.