The OVC standings are starting to take shape now that the first weekend of conference play is complete. 

Teams earn three points for each conference win and one point for a tie. Eastern was one of two teams to earn four points, joining Austin Peay on top of the standings. 

Eastern’s win was the first conference victory for the program since Oct. 16, 2016. 

The Panthers’ overall record of 2-4-3 is the 7th-worst in the conference, and they are one of just three OVC teams with a losing record to pick up a conference win. But conference records are all that matter.

Three OVC teams played only one conference match so far. Two of them are Tennessee-Martin and Murray State, which are 1st and 2nd in the conference in goals scored respectively. Both earned a win. 

Two OVC teams failed to pick up a single conference point. Southeast Missouri dropped both of its conference matches, and Jacksonville State lost its lone match. 

Still leading the way individually for the OVC is Murray State’s junior forward Miyah Watford.

She leads the conference in points with 15 and goals with seven.

Her teammate Abby Jones, a freshman forward, is 2nd in the OVC in points with 11. She has five assists and three goals this season. 

Murray State will be Eastern’s next conference opponent. The two teams will play at Lakeside Field on Sept. 21. 

OVC co-leaders Austin Peay and Eastern will face off at Lakeside Field on Sept. 23. 

Even early in the season, the match could have major implications on the standings all season.

Tennessee-Martin continued its impressive season with a 1-0 win against Southeast Missouri last weekend. At 6-2 overall, they hold the 2nd-highest winning percentage in the conference. They are also riding a three-game winning streak, the longest in the OVC. 

They will be at Lakeside Field on Sept. 30 for the last match in Eastern’s four-game homestand. 

In other news, the OVC handed out player of the week awards Tuesday.

Austin Peay’s Claire Larose earned OVC offensive player of the week honors this week after scoring two goals over the weekend. The sophomore now has five goals on the season. 

Two Eastern players were honored this week.

Senior Kate Olson earned defensive player of the week honors. A four-year starter for Eastern, Olson played all 200 minutes during the weekend for a defense that allowed zero goals.

The biggest reason Eastern allowed zero goals is goalkeeper Sara Teteak, who was named goalkeeper of the week. The junior made ten saves in the two matches and earned her 3rd and 4th shutouts on the year. 

There is still over a month until the OVC Tournament begins on Oct. 26, but every match matters now that the conference season is underway. 

Adam Tumino can be reached at 581-2812 or [email protected].