Panthers return players

The Summit League men’s soccer season was in full swing this weekend with a total of 10 matches being played around the league, while two key players returned to the field for Eastern.

Conference teams collectively played in three tournaments, including the 50 Years of Men’s Soccer tournament hosted by Eastern at Lakeside Field. League play begins in two weeks.

However, no Summit League team managed to win a single match this weekend.

Eastern (0-4) lost twice, bringing up the rear in the Summit League after this week’s slate of results. However, the Panthers remain just a win away from vaulting to the middle of the league standings.

Eastern coach Adam Howarth said he has the league picture in perspective.

The former Panther said he wants to make sure he has his key players healthy by the time conference play begins.

“We’re hoping that, certainly by conference time, we’re going to have everyone we need available,” Howarth said.

Red-shirt sophomore midfielder Spencer Filosa, who started in all but two matches for Eastern as a freshman, was back from injury after a pair of surgeries forced him to use a medical red-shirt for the 2012 season.

Filosa scored the opening goal in Sunday’s match against Western Michigan, just nine minutes into his return to the side. He played 36 minutes against the Broncos.

Additionally, red-shirt junior forward Chris Boswell was back in action for the Panthers Friday. Howarth said Boswell is farther along in his recovery than Filosa, who is still playing a limited number of minutes.

Elsewhere in the Summit League, Denver (1-3-1) stumbled against Saint Louis, 1-0.

Omaha (1-3) lost to Drake by a score of 4-3 as Friday’s match was brought to a close when a penalty kick was awarded with only 16 seconds remaining on the clock.

Western Illinois (1-4) held Dayton to two goals in the Flyers’ shutout victory over the Leathernecks in the Baymont Inn Classic. Dayton is the highest-scoring offense in Division I, scoring 3.67 goals per game. Western lost the final match of the tournament to Missouri State 2-1 in overtime Sunday.

IUPUI (0-5-2) played twice over the weekend, losing to Valparaiso and Milwaukee 2-1 and 3-0, respectively.

Oral Roberts (0-4-1) came away with the best result of the week, tying Mid-American Christian 0-0. Coming in at sixth in the league is Fort Wayne (0-5-1).

The Mastodons dropped two matches this weekend at the Qdoba Invitational, losing to St. Francis (Pa.) and Marshall.

Michael Spencer can be reached at 581-2812 or at [email protected].