The Eastern women’s soccer team had their highest scoring match of the season on Saturday when they beat Fort Wayne by a score of 4-3.

Their four goals doubled their previous high score. They scored two goals in a 3-2 loss against Green Bay on Aug. 26 and in a 2-0 win against Chicago State on Sept. 2.

The three goals allowed ties a season high.

Fort Wayne is not an OVC team, so the match will not have any bearing on conference standings.

However, head coach Jake Plant said prior to the match that it could be a good opportunity for the team to build some confidence before the final two conference games of the season next weekend.

Plant has also been optimistic that the offense would eventually have a breakthrough offensive match. After several missed opportunities in recent matches, including a 1-0 overtime loss against Southeast Missouri on Thursday,  the offense has now had such a performance.

“We created a lot of opportunities, like we did on Thursday,” Plant said. “The girls did a good job of staying patient and making sure they didn’t get disappointed with not scoring on Thursday.”

Four different players scored in the match Saturday.

Sophomores Itxaso Aguero and Pilar Barrio scored early on, in the third and fifth minutes respectively. It was the second goal of the season for both players.

In the 37th minute, sophomore defender Victoria Wharton scored her first career goal and the Panthers entered halftime with a 3-0 lead.

Fort Wayne, after managing only one shot in the first half, got off 14 shots in after halftime. Seven of their second half shots were on goal and they found the net in the 49th and 58th minutes, cutting the lead to 3-2.

Eastern sophomore Haylee Renick netted an insurance goal in the 66th minute, her third of the season. It ended up being the game-winner after Fort Wayne added one more goal in the 79th minute.

The Panther defense surrendered more goals than usual, but Plant said he was not concerned.

“(Fort Wayne) attacked well, and there was a bit of a tactical change for us,” Plant said. “We rested some player because we have conference coming up.”

One of the players who rested was starting goalkeeper Sara Teteak, with freshman Daniela Bermeo taking her place.

Bermeo was making just her third start of the season, and first since Aug. 31. She did surrender the three goals, but also made five saves en route to her first career victory.

“Scoring four feels good. Conceding three is not great,” Plant said. “But I think the main thing for us was that we found the back of the net.”

The Panthers have two matches remaining in the regular season, both on the road against OVC opponents.

They will play Jacksonville State on Oct. 19 and Tennessee Tech on Oct. 21. The OVC tournament will begin the following Friday on Oct. 26.

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