An hour before Saturday night's tip-off, Eastern's final preseason opponent, a traveling exhibition team, arrived at Lantz Arena.

Megan Sparks scored a game-high 25 points but the Premier All-Stars used an 18-4 second half run to hand Eastern Illinois University a 76-69 exhibition loss Sunday afternoon in Lantz Arena. The Panthers hosted their only exhibition game.

Hopes of gaining the sixth and final spot in the Ohio Valley Conference tournament ended this weekend for the Eastern volleyball team as the Panthers split a pair of road matches to close out the season.

"It's sad." Those were the few words Beth Liesen could muster as she held back tears after a 1-0 loss Friday to Missouri in the first round of the 2003 Women's College Cup.

Eastern still has a say in which team will host the Ohio Valley Conference Championship and the teams primary goal is an upset.

Eastern's cross country teams will head to Stillwater, Okla., Saturday to race in what could be its last race of the season. The NCAA Regional race is a very large meet, hosting 30 teams in both the men's and women's fields, and the Panthers have only sent a couple of runners to the NCAA Championships since coach John McInerney's reign of 11 years.

The women's soccer team traveled 255 miles Thursday morning to its new home stadium.

Eastern's volleyball team will have its last chance to win a playoff berth.

The start of the college basketball regular season is quickly approaching, and it couldn't be too soon.

With the matches winding down for Eastern volleyball, it appears the team will miss post season play for the second straight year, but that doesn't necessarily mean this season was a disappointment in the least.

The experience of returning starters could be a key to the success of the 2003-2004 Panther women's basketball team.

As the college basketball regular season approaches, Eastern finds itself with a team that is both inexperienced and talented.