The Eastern men’s soccer team is headed to Milwaukee, Wisc., this weekend for the first of two tournaments this season—the other being next weekend in Dayton, Ohio.

The tournament begins Friday as the Panthers will play Canisius, of Buffalo, N.Y., which Eastern head coach Adam Howarth said will be the most unfamiliar team on the Panthers’ schedule this season.

Sophomore forward Asani Samuels, who has scored the team’s only goal in two games this season, leads the Canisius Golden Griffins.

Each of the Golden Griffins’ first two games ended in draws.

Samuels, who is 6-foot-5 and from Savanna la Mar, Jamaica, will challenge Eastern by giving the defense a match-up problem in terms of his size and strength, Howarth said.

Howarth said he has confidence in his defense, though, after coming off of a good performance in Sunday’s 2-0 win over Lipscomb.

“I give the defense a lot of credit because a shutout on the road is very tough,” Howarth said.

Freshman goalkeeper Garrett Creasor had a hand—or six—in the shutout victory, making six saves to hold Lipscomb without a goal.

The game was not only Creasor’s first start, but also his first collegiate game.

“Garrett coming in for his first game and getting a shutout was great,” Howarth said.

In two games this season, the Panthers have started separate goalkeepers.

First, senior Evan Turner gave up two goals in the Panthers’ loss to Bradley last Friday.

Then, Creasor started Sunday and got the shutout.

Howarth said both goalkeepers performed well in their games this season and he will continue to evaluate them on a game-by-game basis.

After the Panthers play Canisius at 5 p.m. Friday, they’ll get a first-hand look at what Wisconsin-Milwaukee brings to the field, watching them play Indiana-Purdue University-Indianapolis at 7:30 p.m.

Before they see Milwaukee on the field, Howarth said the Panthers are already at a disadvantage because Milwaukee has home field advantage.

Declan Rodriguez has led Milwaukee this season, scoring two goals in the first two games.

No matter the results of the two games, Howarth said he thinks it’s important to put his players in a tournament environment. He said he tries to get Eastern entered to two tournaments each year, but at least one.

“It helps with that grit, that fight,” Howarth said. “We go away for a few days, enjoy the bonding experience, we stay in a nice hotel and I think the guys enjoy it.”

Also, any tournament trophies or player accolades the Panthers can bring home from the tournament makes the team feel good, Howarth said.

Last year, the Panthers didn’t fair well in their first tournament of the season, which was the Pro Rehab Services Tournament in Evansville, Ind. The Panthers lost both games.

Players like sophomore forwards Will Butler and Jake Brillhart were freshmen then, but Howarth said it feels like last year’s freshmen are starting to get in a groove.

“The guys who were freshman last year, who I call super sophomores now because they were sophomores (on the field) by the end of last year, they’re starting to really gel, get a good feel of it and help those young guys,” Howarth said.

There is a slight chance of rain this weekend in Milwaukee, on Saturday and Sunday, but Howarth said the field conditions might not be affected because they are playing on turf.

The Panthers loaded the buses Thursday after practice. They’ll play in the tournament’s first game 5 p.m today.

Alex McNamee can be reached at 581-2812 or [email protected].