Panthers Earn Senior Day Win Over IPFW in OT

With one second remaining in overtime, junior Jake Plant scored his second goal of the day to give the Panther men’s soccer team a 3-2 win over Fort Wayne on senior day. EIU improves to 3-12 (1-5 Summit) on the year.

Plant flicked the ball into the back of the net off a throw in from the left by sophomore Jake Irwin, just getting the ball past the goalkeeper who nearly punched the ball away. With the throw in, Irwin now has a team-high five assists.

The Mastodons (3-13-1, 2-3-1 Summit) took an early lead only 57 seconds into the match on a goal by Austin West. The forward hit a free kick from just outside the top of the box that deflected off the defensive wall and into the back of the net.

EIU’s Tayron Martin tied the match at one with his team-leading third goal of the year in the 13th minute, scoring from six yards out on the right. Kyle Ackerman netted his first goal of the year in the 56th minute to regain the lead for IPFW when he dribbled the ball past a group of EIU defenders in the box before hitting a shot from the left.

In the 66th minute, the Panthers made the score 2-2 when Plant scored on a ball played into the box on a free kick by Martin from 20-yards away on the left.

The Panthers took seven more shots (23-16) than the Mastodons, including five more shots on goal (12-7). EIU committed six more fouls (23-17) than IPFW and took two more corner kicks (5-3).

Sophomore Jake Brillhart paced the Panther attack with eight shots (three on goal) while Martin added four shots (two on goal). Jose Rodriguez led IPFW with five shots (two on goal).

Senior Evan Turner (1-6) posted the win in goal for EIU, making four saves and surrendering two goals. Brandon Cloutier (3-13-1) took the loss in goal for IPFW, allowing three goals while making eight saves.

The Panthers return to action on Tuesday, Oct. 30 in non-conference action when they play host to Belmont at 3 p.m.