SIUE (5-4-0, 2-0-0 OVC) vs. Eastern Illinois (3-6-2, 1-1-1 OVC)

Match Information
Date: Thursday, October 7, 2021
First Kick: 3 p.m. CT
Location: Lakeside Field, Charleston, Ill.
All-Time Series: SIUE leads 12-2-1
Last Meeting: Mar. 9, 2021 (SIUE 7, EIU 0)

WHERE WE'RE AT: SIUE women's soccer enters Thursday's contest looking to continue an impressive run of offensive form, having netted four goals in their OVC opener at Tennessee Tech on Sep. 26 and five in their most recent match at Morehead State last Sunday.

LAST TIME OUT: The Cougars opened up Ohio Valley Conference play with a strong performance, netting four goals en route to an overtime victory at Tennessee Tech last Sunday. MacKenzie Litzsinger stole the show, netting a pair of goals and an assist in the win. One of those goals included the game winner just 59 seconds into the first overtime period. Her efforts secured her sixth OVC Offensive Player of the Week award and second award of the young season.

SCOUTING THE PANTHERS: Eastern Illinois enters Thursday's match with a 3-6-2 overall record and a 1-1-1 record in OVC play. The Panthers are coming off a 2-1 home win over Murray State on Sunday after drawing with Morehead State and falling in a 4-1 decision at UT Martin. The Eagles finished last spring with a 2-7-1 mark, including a 7-0 loss to the Cougars (Mar. 9). Morehead State was picked to finish eighth in the OVC and is led by Preseason OVC Player to Watch Kenzie Balcerek.

ACCOLADES: Bella Henderson becomes the second SIUE goalkeeper and fourth Cougar this season to win a conference-level award, as her shutout performance against Morehead State on Sunday earned her first-ever OVC Co-Goalkeeper of the Week honor.

LOCAL FLAIR: Coach Burton has recruited and retained talented student-athletes from throughout the Metro East and Greater St. Louis regions. Of the 33 student-athletes on this season's roster, 21 hail from Greater St. Louis - this includes five who came to SIUE from a county in the Metro East region.

RETURNERS: The Cougars return all but two starters from last season's OVC champion squad, and bring back all three goalkeepers from Spring 2021. Highlighting the returning Cougars are OVC Forward of the Year MacKenzie Litzsinger, All-OVC and United Soccer Coaches All-South Region Second Team selection Lily Schnieders, and OVC All-Newcomer selection Matea Diekema.

NEW FACES: The Red & White welcome eight newcomers to the program, six of whom hail from the Greater St. Louis area. Included in this class are sisters Ashlyn and Kaitlyn Nichols (O'Fallon, Mo.), who join Matea and Myah Diekema as the only known pair of sisters playing in the same Division I soccer program.