With just one match left on the schedule, the Eastern women’s soccer team still has a few chances of making it into the Ohio Valley Conference tournament, set to begin Nov. 1. The conference tournament is hosted by whichever team wins the regular season tournament.

The Panthers will take on Belmont at 3 p.m. on Friday at Lakeside Field.

Eastern has a record of 3-5-1 in the OVC, totaling 10 points in the conference. The Panthers are tied with Jacksonville State, who also has 10 points in the conference, with a conference record of 3-4-1.

Belmont has a record of 3-3-2 in conference, and has 11 points in the conference standings.

If the Panthers beat Belmont on Friday, it will bring the Panthers’ point total to 13 points. The Panthers would then need Belmont to lose or draw in its final match against Southern Illinois-Edwardsville on Sunday. Southern Illinois-Edwardsville has a conference record of 3-3-2 and has 11 points in the conference standings.

The Panthers would also need Southeast Missouri to go at least 1-1 in its weekend matches against Tennessee Tech and Jacksonville State, as the Panthers would hold the tiebreaker over Southeast Missouri. Both of those matches are on the road for Southeast Missouri.

Additionally, the Panthers would need Jacksonville State, to go 0-1-1, 0-0-2 or 0-2-0 in its weekend matches against Tennessee-Martin and Southeast Missouri. Both matches will be home for Jacksonville State.

The Panthers have made the conference tournament the last 14 years, including every year under head coach Summer Perala.

The top six teams in the OVC will advance to the tournament.

Around the OVC

The OVC leader in goals is Austin Peay’s Tatiana Ariza with 11. Ariza also leads the OVC in shots (65), shots-per-game (4.33), points (29), points-per-game (1.93), goals-per-game (0.73), assists (7, tied with Tennessee-Martin’s Kendyl Wilson), assists-per-game (0.47) and game-winning goals (4).

Southern Illinois-Edwardsville’s Jennifer Pelley has the best goals-against-average of any goalkeeper in the OVC, posting a 0.66. Pelley also leads the OVC in shutouts (8) and shutouts-per-game (0.53).

Southeast Missouri’s Renee Kertz boasts the OVC’s best save percentage at 0.872, while Katelyn Geddings of Jacksonville State leads the conference in saves with 120. Tennessee Tech’s Jordan Brown leads the OVC in saves-per-game, averaging 7.12.

Dominic Renzetti can be reached at 581-2812 or [email protected].