Individual Game-by-Game Stats | Career Stats

CHARLESTON, Ill. – A dozen wins, league leaders in goals and assists, and a bevy of individual honors headlined by an Academic All-America selection highlighted Eastern Illinois men's soccer's 2007 campaign.

 

With 12 wins, the Panthers matched the program record in the Missouri Valley Conference era (1996-present). Eight of those wins came in shutout fashion, as EIU set a new high-water mark for defensive excellence in the MVC years. Eastern (12-6-3, 2-3-1 MVC) also established new team records for assists (47) and corner kicks (126).

 

Brad Peters led the league with 11 goals for the second year in a row, becoming the first Panther in the Valley era to record back-to-back 10-plus goal seasons. Mick Galeski assisted on five of Peters' goals en route to finishing with a league-leading 12 helpers, another MVC-years record. The two players also shared the conference lead in points and were First Team All-MVC selections for the second year in a row.

 

Galeski garnered three MVC Offensive Player of the Week nods. Brad Earl, Adam Gartner and Chris Pearson also captured POW awards, with the six weekly honors this season representing another program-best mark.

 

In the classroom, head coach Adam Howarth's team has also excelled as of late. Eastern led the way with five MVC Scholar-Athlete Team honorees, headlined by ESPN the Magazine Academic All-District selections Mike Lewis and Gartner. Lewis, who sports a perfect 4.0 GPA, was also named Academic All-America, the program's first such honoree.

 

The Panthers opened the year 4-0 after winning the team titles at the Bradley City Centre Classic and UMKC Invitational. This season was also the year of overtime. Eastern played in eight OT games, posting a 4-1-3 record. Freshman forward Alex Harrison was involved in all four golden goals, scoring two and assisting on the other two.

 

Having won 11 games in 2006, Eastern has posted consecutive 10-win seasons for the first time since 1988-89. The Panthers will have to bid adieu to three accomplished seniors, but are slated to return eight starters for the 2008 campaign.

 

 

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS (Prospect) – Eddie Barnes, sophomore, defender. Barnes played in 16 games and started seven times, including the first six contests of the season… went the distance in each of the first six games of the season, a streak of 582 consecutive minutes played, before coming off the bench in the home opener… also started the IPFW win and assisted on Ben Friesen's game-winner… helped EIU post a shutout streak of 436 minutes early in the season and eight shutouts total, a new program record in the Valley era… logged 46 minutes in the win at Western Kentucky, a season-high total during MVC play.

 

AURORA (Marmion Academy) – Joel Del Toro, junior, forward. After choosing not to play in 2006, Del Toro returned to the team at the beginning of the school year and played in eight games… logged double-figure minutes four times, including a season-high 31 minutes in the home opener against IUPUI… also registered a season-high three shots in that EIU win.

 

CHICAGO (Mount Carmel) – Buddy Swartz, sophomore, midfielder. Swartz played in seven games… logged double-figure minutes in five of those seven contests, including a season-high 30 minutes in the overtime win at Asbury College… also saw a good deal of action in wins Valparaiso (24 minutes) and Western Kentucky (29).

 

JACKSONVILLE (Jacksonville) – Evan Philpott, sophomore, midfielder/forward. Honorable Mention MVC Scholar Athlete Team… Philpott played in 17 games and started 12 times, including the first six matches of the season… came off the bench in the home opener but then returned to the starting lineup until suffering a knee injury in the MVC opener against Drake that kept him out until early November… assisted on EIU's first goal of the season, Chris Pearson's score against Belmont, and Alex Harrison's first goal in the overtime win at Asbury College… registered a season-high three shots against Western Illinois… averaged 45 minutes per game as a starter… played a season-high 61 minutes in the draw at UAB… logged 50-plus minutes eight times… played at least 20 minutes in both MVC Tournament contests.

 

MUNDELEIN (Mundelein) – Matt Crowley, redshirt-freshman, defender. Crowley played in five games… logged 20-plus minutes in four of those five contests… played a season-high 34 minutes in the win against Lipscomb… logged 21 minutes and registered a shot in the home-opening win against IUPUI.

 

NORMAL (University) – Jeremy Maubach, senior, defender. Maubach played in 18 games and started 17 times, including the final eight matches of the season… also started the first nine contests of the year before an injury sidelined him for two games… scored his first career goal in the win at Western Kentucky… went the distance in the first nine games of the season, a streak of 871 consecutive minutes and 1,811 dating back to the 2006 season… played the entire game 15 times total, including four of the six MVC contests and the tourney semifinal game against Bradley… registered a shot in five of the last six games… helped EIU post a shutout streak of 436 minutes early in the season and eight shutouts total, a new program record in the Valley era… started 61 of the 66 games he played in during his four-year career.

ORLAND PARK (Sandburg) – Jeff Kupiec, sophomore, midfielder. Kupiec played in 16 games and started six times, including the final five matches of the season… also started the Creighton contest… scored his first career goal, a game-tying variety, at Evansville… logged double-figure minutes in 15 of the 16 games he played in… averaged 50 minutes per game as a starter… logged his most minutes in the two meetings with Bradley (65 and 64)… also played 59 minutes in the win at Western Kentucky… put six of his nine shots on goal for a team-best .667 shot on goal percentage.

 

ROCKFORD (Rockford Boylan) – Jim Adee, sophomore, midfielder. Adee played in 17 games, including five of the six MVC contests and the tourney match against Drake… registered his first career assist on Mick Galeski's goal in the win over Lipscomb… also assisted on Brad Peters score in the regular-season meeting with Drake… logged double-figure minutes in 15 of the 17 games he played in… logged a season-high 36 minutes in the home-opening win against IUPUI… his 24 minutes in the Western Kentucky was a season-high total during MVC play.

 

SPRINGFIELD (Springfield Southeast) – Brad Ryan, freshman, goalkeeper. Ryan redshirted during his first year with the program.

 

ST. CHARLES (St. Charles East) – Darby Kehoe, freshman, midfielder. Kehoe played in all 21 games and started the Western Illinois match… scored goals in EIU wins against Valparaiso and Missouri State… assisted on goals by Brad Peters against IPFW and Mick Galeski at Western Kentucky… beginning with the home opener, logged double-figure in minutes in every game the rest of the season… played a season-high 67 minutes in the win at WKU… logged 20-plus minutes in both MVC Tournament contests… for the season, scored with two of his three shots on goal.

 

ST. CHARLES (St. Charles North) – Mitch Welsch, freshman, defender. Welsch redshirted during his first year with the program.

 

SYCAMORE (Sycamore) – James Scheffers, junior, defender. Scheffers played in six games… logged double-figures in minutes in EIU wins against IPFW, Valparaiso and Asbury College… played a season-high 17 minutes at Asbury… registered his lone shot of the season in the Valpo victory.

 

 

CROWN POINT, Ind. (Lake Central) – Joe Ciucki, freshman, midfielder. Ciucki played in 11 games, including every MVC match and both conference tournament contests… despite not making his collegiate debut until the Oct. 3 game at UAB, he played in every game of the rest of the season, logging double-figure minutes each time out… assisted on Darby Kehoe's goal in the win against Valparaiso… attempted three shots in the MVC Tournament… registered two shots in his debut at UAB… played a season-high 48 minutes in the draw against Drake… averaged 35 minutes per game during league play.

 

IOWA CITY, Iowa (Regina) – Adam Gartner, junior, defender/midfielder. NSCAA Third Team All-Midwest Region… Second Team All-MVC… ESPN the Magazine Academic All-District V… MVC Defensive Player of the Week (Sept. 24)… Soccer America and TopDrawerSoccer.com National Teams of the Week (Sept. 24)… First Team MVC Scholar Athlete… Gartner started all 21 games, extending his consecutive games started streak to 43 dating back to the end of the 2005 season… recorded a career-high nine assists, ranking second in the MVC to only teammate Mick Galeski… Galeski and Gartner became the first set of EIU teammates to combine for 20 assists since 1988… ranked third on the team in minutes played (1,868), going the distance 13 times… ended the year having played 562 consecutive minutes… garnered MVC Defensive Player of the Week honors and national recognition from Soccer America and TopDrawerSoccer.com after registering an assist on both goals in the home-opening win against IUPUI and playing the entire game in the overtime win at Kentucky… recorded an assist in each of the first three games of October… also had an assist in both games at the season-opening Bradley City Centre Classic… four of his nine assists set up game-winning goals, including Alex Harrison's overtime score in the season opener… already an accomplished table setter on long throw-ins, also emerged as the team's most accurate and dangerous performer with free kicks… registered multiple shots in a game 10 times… one of three players to log at least 1,000 minutes and not be issued a yellow card… began the year as a midfielder before moving to the back four… helped EIU post a shutout streak of 436 minutes early in the season and eight shutouts total, a new program record in the Valley era… his academic excellence led to Academic All-District and Scholar-Athlete Team recognition for the second year in a row… ranks third in assists and eight in points among the program leaders in the Valley era… Eastern is 6-0 when he has scored a goal during his career… MVC Rankings: second in assists… National Rankings: 31st in assists… EIU Single-Season Rankings: fourth in assists.

 

EUREKA, Mo. (Eureka) – Nick Bonacker, sophomore, defender. Bonacker started all 20 games he played in… an injury early in the MVC Tournament win against Drake caused him to miss the semifinal contest against Bradley, the only match of the year he missed… ranked fifth on the team in minutes played (1,703), but was third before the injury at the tournament… posted the longest consecutive minutes played streak on the team, logging 935 straight between Sept. 19 and Oct. 27… went the distance 13 times total… helped EIU post a shutout streak of 436 minutes early in the season and eight shutouts total, a new program record in the Valley era… assisted on three scores: Alex Harrison's goal at Loyola, Brad Peters' second goal against Missouri State, and Jeff Kupiec's goal at Evansville… teed up the majority of the corner kicks EIU was awarded. 

 

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (Hyman Brand Academy) – Ari Horing, sophomore, forward. Horing played in seven games, including both contests in his homecoming at the UMKC Invitational… played a season-high 22 minutes against Western Illinois… also logged double-figures minutes against UMKC, IUPUI and Valparaiso.

 

RAYMORE, Mo. (Raymore-Peculiar) – Ben Friesen, freshman, defender. Friesen played in 13 games and started four times… started the UAB, Valparaiso, Drake and Asbury College matches, going the distance UAB and Valpo… scored the game-winning goal in the win over IPFW… helped EIU post a shutout streak of 436 minutes early in the season and eight shutouts total, a new program record in the Valley era… logged double-figure minutes 10 times, averaging 48 minutes per game in those contests… logged 50 minutes in the win at Western Kentucky, a season-high total during MVC play.

 

ST. CHARLES, Mo. (Christian Brothers) – Mike Lewis, junior, midfielder. ESPN the Magazine Third Team Academic All-America… ESPN the Magazine Academic All-District V… First Team MVC Scholar Athlete… Lewis played in 19 games and started 12 times, including five of the six MVC contests… his 4.0 GPA led to Academic All-America honors, becoming the program's first such CoSIDA-chosen honoree… joined the starting lineup in time for the home opener and remained a starter until an injury in the win at Western Kentucky sidelined him for the final two games of the regular-season… returned for the MVC Tournament, logging 60-plus minutes in both contests and starting the semifinal match against Bradley… enjoyed a very productive week in mid-October, scoring his first career goal in league play in the draw with Drake and assisting on three of EIU's next five goals… set up Brad Peters' score at Creighton and goals by Peters and Darby Kehoe against Missouri State… one of three players to log at least 1,000 minutes and not be issued a yellow card… went the distance in the double-overtime loss at Creighton… also played 90-plus minutes in the draws against UAB and Drake… registered a season-high four shots at Evansville… Eastern is 1-0-1 when he has scored during his career.

 

ST. PETERS, Mo. (St. Dominic) – Brad Peters, junior, forward. NSCAA Second Team All-Midwest Region… First Team All-MVC… MVP of the UMKC Invitational… Bradley City Centre Classic All-Tournament Team… Honorable Mention MVC Scholar Athlete Team… Peters started all 21 games, extending his consecutive games started streak to 26 dating back to last season… led the Valley with 11 goals for the second year in a row… became the first Panther in the Valley era to post consecutive seasons with 10-plus goals… along with Mick Galeski, became the first Panther since 1994 to earn consecutive All-Region honors… joined Galeski and Jimmy Klatter as the program's only back-to-back First Team All-MVC recipients… also led the league with six game-winnings goals, establishing a new program record in the Valley era… scored five of his 11 goals in league play after netting just one as a sophomore… scored the game-winning goal in three straight games early in the season, taking home MVP honors at the UMKC Invitational after netting the lone goal in a pair of 1-0 victories… had a big game in the win against Valparaiso, scoring twice and assisting on EIU's other two goals… scored just 40 seconds into the Valpo win, EIU's quickest goal since 2001… beginning with the Valpo game, scored in four consecutive contests… scored his first career overtime goal in the win against Oral Roberts… also scored twice in the Missouri State win… netted EIU's first goal against Creighton since 2002… assisted on Alex Harrison's overtime goal in the season opener against Belmont… ranked second on the team in minutes played (1,888), going the distance 12 times… played 650 consecutive minutes during the second half the season as the only Panther to play every minute of the conference season… will enter his senior season as the active conference leader in goals and points… ranks fourth in goals and points, sixth in assists in the program's Valley era… Eastern is 15-2-1 when he has scored during his career… MVC Rankings: first in goals, game-winning goals and shots; sixth in assists… National Rankings: 32nd in points and 41st in goals.

 

OMAHA, Neb. (Millard North) – Nick Alexander, sophomore, goalkeeper. Alexander played in 11 games and started seven times… was the starting 'keeper during the middle part of the season, beginning with the IPFW win on Sept. 28… started four of the six MVC contests… helped EIU post eight shutouts total, a new program record in the Valley era… was pressed into duty in the second half of the MVC Tournament win against Drake and helped preserve the 1-0 lead in the second half with some solid plays… made a season-high five saves in the double overtime loss at Creighton, which was also a homecoming game for the Omaha native… posted a shutout in the IPFW win and also blanked Valparaiso for the first 70 minutes of the game… saw action in relief in four games, including playing the entire second half and overtime in the regular-season finale at Asbury College… posted the seventh best goals against average in the program's MVC era… MVC Rankings: seventh in GAA, eighth in shutouts, and ninth in saves and save percentage.

 

COPPELL, Texas (Coppell) – Brad Earl, senior, midfielder. Honorable Mention All-MVC… MVC All-Tournament Team… MVC Offensive Player of the Week (Sept. 24)… College Soccer News National Team of the Week (Sept. 24)… Earl started all 21 games, ending his career having started 24 consecutive matches… earned Honorable Mention All-MVC recognition for the second year in a row… ranked fourth on the team in minutes played (1,743), going the distance five times, including both MVC Tournament contests… earned his second career MVC Offensive Player of the Week and CSN National Team of the Week honors after scoring the game-winner in the home opener against IUPUI and his second career overtime goal two days later in the victory at Kentucky… one of just three Panthers in the Valley era with a pair of overtime goals on his résumé… did not leave the field in any of EIU's three games at Morrison Stadium in Omaha this season… played attempted penalty kicks against Lipscomb and Western Illinois… ranks seventh in game-winning goals, eighth in goals, and ninth in points in the program's Valley era… Eastern posted a 6-3-2 record when he scored during his career.

 

FLOWER MOUND, Texas (Flower Mound) – Mark Hansen, junior, goalkeeper. First Team MVC Scholar Athlete… UMKC Invitational All-Tournament Team… Hansen started 14 of the 15 games he played in… opened and closed the year as the starter for the second season in a row… after posting a goals against average below 1.00 for the third year in a row, will enter his senior season as the active MVC leader… tied his career-high with eight saves in the loss at Dayton… posted a shutout streak of 436 minutes early in the season, registering a pair of shutouts at the UMKC Invitational to represent EIU on the All-Tournament Team… also posted solo shutouts versus Lipscomb and at Kentucky… was part of shared shutouts against Drake in the MVC Tournament and IUPUI and IPFW at home… dislocated a pair of fingers late in the tourney win against Drake but returned to finish out the game and then played the entire semifinal game against Bradley… made six saves in the overtime win against Oral Roberts and rain-drenched game against Western Illinois… one of three players to log at least 1,000 minutes and not be issued a yellow card… posted the third best GAA in the Valley era... also ranks second in career saves and minutes among MVC-era 'keepers… MVC Rankings: third in GAA and shutouts, fourth in save percentage, and sixth in saves… National Rankings: 54th in GAA and 76th in save percentage.

 

 

KINSHASA, Congo (Parkland College) – Patrick Mabeya, junior, defender/midfielder. Mabeya played in all 21 games and started 13 times, including the final 11 contests of the year… also started the season and home openers… assisted on Chris Pearson's goal against Bradley and Alex Harrison's overtime game-winner at Asbury College… registered nine of his 22 shots in the final four games of the season… averaged 85 minutes per game while starting the final 11 matches … went the distance six times, including a season-high 110 minutes on three occasions… helped EIU post a shutout streak of 436 minutes early in the season and eight shutouts total, a new program record in the Valley era.

 

BLACKBURN, England (Norden) – Mick Galeski, senior, midfielder. NSCAA Second Team All-Midwest Region… First Team All-MVC… MVC All-Tournament Team… Three-time MVC Offensive Player of the Week… MVP of the Bradley City Centre Classic… UMKC Invitational All-Tournament Team... TopDrawerSoccer.com National Team of the Week (Oct. 8)… Galeski started every game for the third year in a row, ending his career having started a team-long 54 consecutive contests… led the league with 12 assists, the first double-figure total by a Panther since 1988… Galeski and Adam Gartner became the first set of EIU teammates to combine for 20 assists since 1988… along with Brad Peters, became the first Panther since 1994 to earn consecutive All-Region honors… joined Galeski and Jimmy Klatter as the program's only back-to-back First Team All-MVC recipients… also scored a career-high eight goals to share the league lead in points with Peters… recorded his first career multi-goal game in the draw at UAB, earning national honors from TopDrawerSoccer.com on the following Monday… scored the game's lone goal in the MVC Tournament win against Drake, coincidentally his only game-winner of the season… registered four multi-assist efforts, with EIU winning all four games… was a three-time MVC Offensive Player of the Week honoree, becoming only the seventh league player to accomplish the feat since 1996… was named the MVP of the season-opening City Centre Classic after leading EIU to the team title while scoring a goal and registering an assist… led the team in minutes played (1,948), going the distance the distance 16 times… ended the year having played 454 consecutive minutes, his longest such streak of the year… established new single-season and career assists records during the program's Valley era… also finished his career ranked fifth in points and game-winning goals, sixth in goals during the MVC years… Eastern posted a 9-1-3 record when he scored during his career… MVC Rankings: first in assists and points, second in goals and third in shots… National Rankings: fourth in assists and 32nd in points… EIU Single-Season Rankings: second in assists… EIU All-Time Rankings: third in assists (24).

 

NEWCASTLE, England (Emmanuel) – Chris Pearson, sophomore, defender. Bradley City Centre Classic All-Tournament Team… MVC Defensive Player of the Week (Sept. 4)… Person played in 17 games and started 16 times, including the first 10 games of the year and both MVC Tournament contests… scored EIU's first goal of the season, his second career goal in neutral-site action at Bradley's Shea Stadium… that game-tying goal against Belmont and All-Tournament Team honors at the City Centre Classic led to MVC Defensive Player of the Week honors… also scored in the home finale against Bradley, his first goal at Lakeside Field… registered a shot in six of the first seven games of the season… went the distance eight times, including both MVC Tournament contests… played a season-high 110 minutes in the draw at Loyola… helped EIU post a shutout streak of 436 minutes early in the season and eight shutouts total, a new program record in the Valley era.

NEWCASTLE, England (Gosforth) – Alex Harrison, freshman, forward. MVC All-Freshman Team… City Centre Classic All-Tournament Team… Harrison played in 19 games and started 18 times, including the final four matches of the season… opened and closed the regular season with an overtime goal, beating Belmont in his collegiate debut and Asbury College… became the first player in the program's Valley era to score two overtime goals in the same year, and one of just three Panthers in the MVC years with a pair of overtime goals on his résumé… also assisted on EIU's other two overtime goals this season: Brad Peters' versus Oral Roberts and Brad Earl's at Kentucky… actually scored twice in the win at Asbury… also found the back of the net at Loyola and in the home opener versus IUPUI… became the first Panther to score in his Lakeside Field debut since 2004… registered a season-high six shots in the MVC Tournament semifinal match against Bradley… went the distance in the win at Asbury, but played a season-high 100 minutes in the draw at UAB.

More Info: Contact Ben Turner, Asst. SID