The Panthers look to avenge their fifth straight loss, and their record has since dropped to 4-15 overall and 2-7 in the OVC.

Last season Eastern lost both matches against Jacksonville State 3-1. Both matches were emotionally charged, with the first match at home ending with a controversial call and the match at Jacksonville State ending the Panther’s season.

Jacksonville State has beaten Eastern in the last 12 encounters and the Panthers are looking to break more than just those two streaks.

Last season against Tennessee Tech the Panthers split the season series winning at home and losing at Tennessee Tech.

The Panthers took their home game against Tennessee Tech to a thrilling five set match. Former Panther Kelsey Orr went out of the game and was replaced by the now Sophomore Reynae Hutchinson.

That inspired the team to rise above the odds and take the game, putting the nail in the coffin with two thundering blocks.

Hutchinson finished that season with 237 kills and 130 digs, ranking fourth in kills and seventh in digs.

In just 19 matchups, Hutchinson has 172 kills and 138 digs, including 13 kills with 13 and eight digs in last weekends loss to the University of Tennessee-Martin.

She is on pace to have another impressive season, coming second in kills behind junior Emily Franklin, who has 194 kills and 141 digs, including five kills and five digs last Friday.

This duo has been racking up statistics for weeks now, each holding numbers in the hundreds for digs and kills.

The Panthers look to try to get back in the OVC and take some crucial conference match-ups as the season goes on.

They finished in seventh place last year with a record of 15-16 overall and 7-11 in conference matches.

Jacksonville State holds a staggering 13-2 all time series against Eastern and they are looking to try to make a dent to that on Friday.

However, like Franklin said last week before their loss against UT-Martin, the past is the past. It may put in a much needed confidence booster for a team that needs to gain some steam, though.

Panthers will look to snap their current five-match losing streak as the team will take the road this weekend, traveling to Jacksonville State and Tennessee Tech on Friday and Saturday (Oct. 15), respectively, to continue league action.

Lenny Arquilla can be reached at 581-7944 or [email protected]