'Dons Put Streak on Line at Eastern Illinois

FORT WAYNE, Ind. - The IPFW will put its three-match win streak on the line on Saturday afternoon when the Mastodons travel to Charleston, Ill. to face off against the Panthers of Eastern Illinois University.

Opponent: Eastern Illinois Panthers (2-12, 0-5 Summit)
When: Saturday, October 27 | 3 p.m.
Where: Charleston, Ill. | Lakeside Field
Series: Eastern Illinois leads 6-3
Live Stats: Eastern Illinois Live Stats

SCOUTING THE MASTODONS
The IPFW Mastodons are riding a current three-match losing skid after starting the year with an 0-12-1 record.

Leading the offensive attack for IPFW is a trio of freshman, led by Jose Rodriguez and Corey Tom, who each have three goals scored, as Jackson Took has a pair. Four others - Mitch Falkenstern, Nate Shipman, Brent Helton, and Austin West - each have scored once. Tooke leads the team with three assists, while Falkenstern has two, and five others (Rodriguez, shipman, Steven L'Esperence, Kyle Ackerman, and Darnell Parris) each have one.

Sophomore Brandon Cloutier has spent all but 30 minutes of the team's season in goal, and leads the team with 80 saves, the 11th most in the country. He has added a 2.19 goals against average, with one shutout.

SCOUTING THE PANTHERS
Eastern Illinois comes into the afternoon match looking to snap out of its current six-match losing skid, after falling 2-1 to Oral Roberts in Tulsa last Saturday.

The Panthers have been out-scored 32-to-13 on the season, and are led in scoring by a trio of players - Tayron Martin, Chris Boswell, and Jordan Collins - who each have scored twice, while Jake Brillhart, Will Butler, Garet Christianson, Conor Bartuch, and Nick Smith have scored once. Jake Irwin has assisted on nearly a third of the team's goals, and leads the team with four, while Butler, Christianson, and Colin Rook each have two helpers.

Eastern Illinois has nearly evenly split its minutes in goal this season, as Garrett Creasor has been in goal for just over 701 minutes, and Evan Turner for just over 576. Turner has a 2.19 goals against average with 29 saves, while Creasor has a 2.31 goals against average, 31 saves, and a pair of shutouts.

ALL-TIME SERIES
Eastern Illinois holds a 6-3 advantage in the all-time series between the two teams, despite two straight wins for IPFW. The Panthers took the first two meetings between the squads, including an 8-2 EIU win in the first meeting. IPFW won for the first time between the teams in 2003, before Eastern Illinois ran off four more consecutive wins.

Two seasons ago the Mastodons won 1-0 in overtime in Fort Wayne, while winning 2-1 a season ago, also in Fort Wayne. There has been just one shutout all-time in the series between the two squads - two seasons ago - as IPFW has scored in all nine meetings.

LAST TIME AGAINST EASTERN ILLINOIS
Kyle Ackerman floated a 25-yard shot into the back of the Eastern Illinois net with under two minutes left in regulation to break a 1-1 tie and send the IPFW men's soccer team past the Panthers, 2-1 on Senior Night.

The Panther offense pushed the tempo early in the opening frame, earning three quick corner kicks and firing four shots on goal. IPFW goalkeeper Brandon Cloutier held his ground during the Eastern Illinois attack, picking up four saves.

The Mastodon frontline found its spark in the 17th minute, when it stormed down the field and made its presence known in Eastern Illinois territory. Colin Helmrich dribbled into the Panther box, then delivered a pass to Max Touloute, who blasted a shot from eight yards out into the back of Panther goal to give the Mastodons a 1-0 lead. Touloute's score was his 12th goal in 2011.

The visitors made numerous attempts to even up the contest in the final period, out-shooting IPFW 12-3 in the second half. In the 87th minute, Eastern Illinois reached the scoreboard, when Zach Pierkarski knotted the score at 1-1 after beating Cloutier with a shot from six yards out inside the 'Don box.

Before the Panther defense had time to digest the goal, the IPFW offense once again made its way towards the Eastern Illinois net, and just 21 seconds after the visitors tied the score, the home team took the lead. Ackerman retrieved a short pass from Touloute on the far side of the field, then lofted a 25-yard attempt over the reaching hands of Panther goalkeeper Tyler Kelley to move IPFW ahead, 2-1.

With just under a minute left to play, Eastern Illinois tried to rush the ball downfield and even up the contest. However, the Mastodon defense, led by Cloutier, stopped the Panthers in their tracks, leading to a 2-1 Mastodon victory.

~ Feel the Rumble ~

Purdue University Fort Wayne Athletics

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