Eastern Illinois women鈥檚 soccer heads to Purdue on Sunday, aiming to build on their solid start (1-0-1) after a 2-0 win over Valparaiso and a 0-0 draw against UIC. The Panthers haven鈥檛 opened a season this well since 2017, and are set to face another strong opponent in Purdue (1-0-1). EIU's next matches will be at home against Indiana State and Purdue Fort Wayne next week.

By the Numbers
  • EASTERN ILLINOIS leads with two shutouts, marking three instances in program history with back-to-back clean sheets.
  • Casey Kittridge earned OVC Defender of the Week, and Ella Kratochvil achieved her 16th career shutout, tying her for third on the EIU all-time list.
  • Amelia Mundo scored her first career goal, which served as the insurance goal in the Valparaiso game.
State of Play
  • EASTERN ILLINOIS stands second in the OVC preseason poll, receiving five first-place votes.
  • Purdue holds an all-time series lead (4-0) against EIU, with the last meeting in 2012 resulting in a 2-1 victory for Purdue.
  • The Panthers鈥� previous successful season included an 8-8-3 overall record, marking their best since 2007.
What's Next

After the match at Purdue, Eastern Illinois will return home to host Indiana State on August 27 and Purdue Fort Wayne on August 30, potentially building momentum with continued strong performances.

Bottom Line

Eastern Illinois is poised to make a significant impact this season, with a strong start, solid defensive play, and promising individual performances. Success against Purdue could set the tone for their upcoming home matches and season overall.