The Eastern women’s soccer team has two home matches this weekend against conference opponents, playing Belmont on Friday and Tennessee-Martin on Sunday.

The two matches will close out a four-match home stand. The Panthers went 1-1 in the first two matches last weekend, losing 2-1 to Murray State and beating Austin Peay 1-0.  

They are 2-1-1 in conference play this season and are in second place in the OVC behind Southern Illinois Edwardsville. 

The Panthers were winless in conference play last season, finishing in last place. This season they have a real chance to make the OVC tournament.

Defense has been Eastern’s calling card in conference play so far in 2018. They have allowed only two goals in four OVC matches. 

Only their upcoming opponents Belmont and Tennessee-Martin have allowed fewer, and both teams have only played two conference matches. 

Eastern’s junior goalkeeper Sara Teteak has 19 saves, three shutouts and a .905 save percentage in OVC play, leading the conference in each category. 

Teteak and the Panther defense will be facing the OVC’s best offense on Sunday when Tennessee-Martin comes to Lakeside Field. 

They have scored 23 goals in nine games, averaging over 2.5 goals per game.

They also have the most balanced attack in the conference with nine different players registering a goal this season. 

Head coach Jake Plant said that the overall defensive approach will not change much depending on the opponent, but when a team has so many scoring threats, more video will be examined.

“We may watch a little more (Tennessee-Martin) than we normally would, but I don’t see us having to adjust too many things,” Plant said.

Plant also talked about the advantages of having extended home stands, as the Panthers are in the middle of a three-week stretch between away matches.

“When you can build a reputation that Lakeside Field is a tough place for any team to come and play, that would be the advantage,” Plant said. “That reputation starts to affect the way other teams play against you.”

He also said that the lack of travel is easier on the team. 

“Being student athletes, when you’re on the road and you constantly have to do assignments on the bus or in hotel rooms, that’s an added stress,” Plant said. “So when you can have three weeks at home, those stresses aren’t really there and you can focus on being a good student athlete.”

The match against Belmont will be at 3 p.m. on Friday, and the Tennessee-Martin match will be Sunday at 1 p.m.

The Panther’s next home match will also be their final one, and it will be at 2 p.m. on Oct. 11.

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