When the Eastern rugby team’s schedule was announced over the summer, the first thing many Panther fans may have noticed was the four consecutive home games in October.

What might have stood out to others was the fact that West Chester was not on the schedule.

The Panthers lost to West Chester in the 2007 season by a score of 20-19, but got their revenge last season when they defeated the Golden Rams by a score of 38-5.

“When we played (West Chester) last year I thought they were going to be our toughest opponent, and I don’t think they were,” said senior wing Crystal Jones. “I want to play the hardest teams that we can, and if West Chester is not up there, then I don’t care to play them.”

The first game of that long October home stretch will be against Northern Iowa, a team the Panthers have not faced since 2000 when they lost 25-5.

The following weekend the Panthers will face Missouri for Homecoming.

The final two home games of the season are rival Illinois followed by Tennessee for Senior Day.

The main focus for Eastern will be to get their first home victory Saturday against first-time opponent Grand Valley State.

Graziano said the match will be much more difficult than the 90-0 win at Ball State last week.

He said the team would also prepare for next week’s game at Iowa State, a game the Panthers won 26-21 last season.

“Grand Valley coming up this weekend will be as good as any of (the teams),” Graziano said. “Iowa State next weekend, those two (teams) are equally good. We barely beat Iowa State last year. We will need to improve our defense against their experienced backline. If they play better than they did last year then were going to have to up our game even more.”

The Panthers will face another first-time foe before the four game home stand when Wisconsin-Milwaukee comes to Lakeside Rugby Field Sept. 26.

That match is followed by the only away game in October, a meeting in the Twin Cities against Minnesota. In 2006, Eastern defeated the Gophers 77-0.

The Panthers will finish the season when they head to Boone, N.C., to play Appalachian State Nov. 8.

“I think we have a great challenging schedule,” Graziano said. “I think this schedule is probably the hardest we have ever had. To have that many quality teams, who I think if they play well and we play average or mediocre, we’re going to lose five, six or seven (games).”

Bob Shaughnessy can be reached at 581-7944 or at [email protected].