Stats: Individual Game-by-Game | Career

CHARLESTON, Ill. – After remaining resilient through a rough start to its campaign, Eastern Illinois women's soccer strung together three consecutive shutout efforts in October to jumpstart its season and keep its streak of Ohio Valley Conference Tournament appearances alive.

 

Beginning with an Oct. 12 victory against Morehead State, the Panthers scored six goals during a 3-1-1 stretch to close the regular season. Eastern traveled to Morehead for the opening round of the OVC Tournament and led 1-0 at the half. But the Eagles scored twice in the second half to eliminate EIU, en route to winning the six-team event.

 

However, Eastern is the only OVC program that has qualified for the conference tournament every year the event has been held – 10 seasons and counting. Senior Pam Melinauskas represented the Panthers on the All-OVC First Team, giving EIU at least one First Team All-Conference performer for the 14th consecutive year.

 

Eastern entered its home finale against rival Southeast Missouri riding a shutout streak of 355 consecutive scoreless minutes and needing a win to clinch an OVC Tournament berth. Melinauskas and Sam Kohen scored first-half goals and the Panther defense held strong in the face of a relentless SEMO attack. Even though the shutout streak ended at 434 minutes, EIU won the game and celebrated a tourney berth-clinching victory.

 

Eastern also won an overtime game for the fifth straight year. Rachel Hamilton scored her second career golden goal with one minute remaining in double OT in the Oct. 17 victory at Tennessee Tech. The win doubled as EIU's first in Cookeville since 2001.

 

Despite goalkeepers Kaylin Lorbert and Jenny Williams splitting time as the starter, the Panthers still managed to lead the OVC in saves. Lorbert ranked among the Top 40 nationally in save percentage and saves per game, and was a two-time OVC Goalkeeper of the Week honoree. The sophomore accounted for all four of EIU's shutouts. Williams, meanwhile, delivered in the clutch in the must-win game against SEMO and also made her 200th career save this fall.

 

The Panthers will have to bid adieu to three seniors, but are slated to return 17 letter-winners for the 2009 season.

 

 

BUFFALO GROVE (Stevenson) – Sam Kohen, junior, midfielder/forward. Kohen played in 13 games and started the final three matches of the season… scored the game-winning goal, the first of her career, in the home finale against Southeast Missouri… the victory in that game propelled the Panthers into the OVC Tournament… saw action in all eight conference games… averaged 56 minutes as a starter… logged a season-high 73 minutes in the SEMO victory… played 47 minutes as a reserve in the scoreless draw at Austin Peay.

 

CHATHAM (Glenwood) – Kaitlin Sullivan, sophomore, forward. Sullivan played in all 19 games and started 16 times, including the final 10 matches of the season… one of six Panthers to play in every game… scored EIU's final two games of the season, tying the Illinois State game just before halftime and putting the Panthers ahead early in the OVC Tournament game at Morehead State… assisted on Pam Melinauskas' game-winning goal in the regular-season victory vs. Morehead… ranked seventh on the team in minutes (1,444), averaging 76 per game… went the distance three times, including the OVC Tournament game at Morehead… played a season-high 109 minutes in the overtime win at Tennessee Tech... Eastern is 1-2 when she has scored during her career.

 

COLLINSVILLE (Collinsville) – Rebecca Holcomb, sophomore, defender. Holcomb started all 18 games she played in… missed only the Purdue game, due to a red card suspension… key member of an EIU defense that posted three straight shutouts and a scoreless streak of 434 consecutive minutes late in the season… ranked second on the team in minutes (1,561), averaging 86 per game… led the team in minutes (729) in OVC play… went the distance on 10 occasions, including the final seven games of the year – a streak of 669 consecutive minutes… played a season-high 110 minutes in the scoreless draws against Northern Iowa and Austin Peay.

 

ELGIN (Burlington Central) – Lindsey Wilkening, senior, defender. OVC Player of the Week (Nov. 4)… Wilkening played in 16 games and started seven times, including five straight at midseason… in just nine minutes late in the first half at Illinois State, scored her first career goal and assisted on Kaitlin Sullivan's game-tying score… earned OVC Player of the Week honors for her offensive flurry… played 73 minutes in a reserve roll in the must-win game against Southeast Missouri after classmate Ashley Slota left the game with an injury… averaged 82 minutes as a starter… went the distance four times, including a stretch of three straight games in late September.

 

GENEVA (Geneva) – Elise Farrelly, freshman, midfielder. Farrelly played in 12 games and started 10 times, including the first five and final two games of the season… missed a good portion of October with an injury but returned for the home finale, playing 56 minutes off the bench in the victory against Southeast Missouri… averaged 72 minutes as a starter… played all 200 minutes at the NIU Invitational, going the distance in both games.

 

GODFREY (Marquette Catholic) – Laura Ridolfi, junior, midfielder. Ridolfi played in 18 games and started 10 times, including the first two matches and seven of the eight OVC contests… assisted on Pam Melinauskas' goal against Eastern Kentucky… registered a career-high four shots at Jacksonville State, putting all four on goal… averaged 67 minutes as a starter… played 80-plus minutes in five straight games in October, a streak that snapped due to an injury in the home finale against Southeast Missouri… played a season-high 102 minutes in the overtime win at Tennessee Tech.

 

GRANITE CITY (Granite City) – Erika Prazma, freshman, defender. Prazma played in 11 games… saw action in seven of the eight conference games and the OVC Tournament contest at Morehead State… averaged 25 minutes over a five-game stretch in October… played a season-high 53 minutes in the loss at Illinois State.

 

GRANITE CITY (Granite City) – Ashley Streid, freshman, forward. Streid redshirted her first year with the program due to an injury.

 

MOKENA (Lincoln-Way East) – Ashley Slota, senior, defender. Slota started all 18 games she played in… missed only the Illinois State game after suffering an injury in the first half of the home finale against Southeast Missouri… returned for the OVC Tournament game at Morehead State and went the distance… her team-long consecutive games started streak ended at 49 when she sat out the Illinois State match… key member of an EIU defense that posted three straight shutouts and a scoreless streak of 434 consecutive minutes late in the season… ranked fourth on the team in minutes (1,533), averaging 85 per game… went the distance a team-high 15 times, including a stretch of nine straight contests… played 881 consecutive minutes during that stretch, the longest such streak on the team this season… played a season-high 110 minutes in the scoreless draws against Northern Iowa and Austin Peay.

 

NAPERVILLE (Waubonsie Valley) – Hillary Blake, freshman, defender. Blake played in 16 games and started seven times, including the final five matches of the season… assisted on Lindsey Wilkening's goal at Illinois State… key member of an EIU defense that posted three straight shutouts and a scoreless streak of 434 consecutive minutes late in the season… ended the year having played 547 consecutive minutes, going the distance in each of the final five games… ranked second among the EIU freshmen in minutes (885)… averaged 90 minutes per game as a starter… played a season-high 110 minutes in the scoreless draw at Austin Peay.

 

NAPERVILLE (Waubonsie Valley) – Jessica Blake, freshman, forward. Blake played in 11 games and started three times… saw action in the first 11 games of the season before an injury in practice the final week of September ended her campaign… started against Wright State, Western Kentucky and Western Illinois… played a season-high 69 minutes at WKU… logged 40 minutes off the bench in the draw with Northern Iowa.

 

ORLAND PARK (Sandburg) – Pam Melinauskas, senior, forward. First Team All-OVC… Melinauskas started all 19 games, one of two Panthers to do so… kept the program's streak of having at least one First Team All-OVC performer every year postseason honors have been awarded… led the team with three goals, scoring EIU's first goal in conference games against Eastern Kentucky, Morehead State and Southeast Missouri… scored the game-winner in the 1-0 victory against Morehead… assisted on Sam Kohen's game-winning goal against SEMO, posting her second career goal-and-assist effort in the must-win game… ranked fifth on the team in minutes (1,473), averaging 77 per game… logged over 80 minutes on eight occasions… played a season-high 101 minutes in the scoreless draw at Austin Peay… Eastern was 6-1 when she scored during her career.

 

PALATINE (Fremd) – Sam Balek, redshirt-freshman, defender. Second Team All-OVC… OVC All-Newcomer Team… OVC Defender of the Week (Oct. 21)… Balek started all 19 games, one of two Panthers to do so… key member of an EIU defense that posted three straight shutouts and a scoreless streak of 434 consecutive minutes late in the season… accounted for a key team save in the home victories against Morehead State and Southeast Missouri… assisted on Rachel Hamilton's overtime game-winner at Tennessee Tech… led the team in minutes played (1,691), averaging 89 per game… went the distance in 14 of the 19 games, including the first five and final eight matches of the season… ended the year having played 781 consecutive minutes… played 715 of the possible 759 minutes in conference play… logged a season-high 110 minutes in the scoreless draws against Northern Iowa and Austin Peay.

 

QUINCY (Qunicy) – Jenny Williams, junior, goalkeeper. Williams played in 10 games and started nine times, including the first two matches of the season and five OVC contests… helped EIU lead the OVC in saves… stepped up big in the must-win home finale against Southeast Missouri, making nine saves and surrendering just one goal… recorded her 200th career save at Illinois State… gave up just one goal in losses at Indiana State, UT Martin and Illinois State… credited with 11 saves at UT Martin, the second double-figure total of her career… made at least four saves in every game she played… OVC Rankings: second in saves per game (6.6)… EIU All-Time Rankings: second in shutouts (12), third in minutes (4,102), fourth in saves (202), and fifth in goals against average (1.32).

 

SPRINGFIELD (Sacred Heart-Griffin) – Ashley Eck, freshman, forward. Eck played in 17 games and started eight times, including five straight OVC contests in October… scored EIU's first goal of the season in the loss at Purdue… assisted on Pam Melinauskas' goal against Eastern Kentucky and Lindsey Wilkening's goal at Illinois State… put seven of her 10 shots on goal… ranked third among the EIU freshmen in minutes (861) averaged 58 minutes per game as a starter… played a season-high 83 minutes at Western Kentucky.

 

SPRINGFIELD (Sacred Heart-Griffin) – Rachel Hamilton, junior, forward. Hamilton played in all 19 games and started 18 times, all but the Eastern Kentucky match… it marked the second year in a row she started all but one game… one of six Panthers to play in every game… scored the game-winning goal in overtime in the victory at Tennessee Tech, her second career OT score… assisted on Sam Kohen's goal vs. Southeast Missouri and Kaitlin Sullivan's goal at Morehead State in the OVC Tournament… led the team in shots… registered a career-high eight shots in the scoreless draw with Northern Iowa… ranked third on the team in minutes played (1,556), averaging 81 per game… went the distance on three occasions… played a season-high 105 minutes in the overtime win at Tennessee Tech… Eastern is 3-1-1 when she has scored during her career.

 

WOODRIDGE (Downers Grove South) – Sarah Rusk, sophomore, midfielder. Rusk played in 19 games and started seven times, including the OVC contests against UT Martin and Murray State… also started five straight games early in the season… one of six Panthers to play in every game… put all three of her shots on goal in the scoreless draw vs. Northern Iowa… ranked eighth on the team in minutes played (966), averaging 50 per game… averaged 74 minutes as a starter… went the distance in the road games at Northern Illinois and Ball State… played a season-high 101 minutes in the draw vs. UNI.

 

 

CLAWSON, Mich. (Clawson) – Cassie Shear, junior, defender. Did not see action in a game this season after suffering an injury in the preseason.

 

ST. PETERS, Mo. (Incarnate Word Academy) – Alexis Miller, junior, midfielder. Miller played in all 19 games and started 17 times, all but the Murray State and Jacksonville State matches… one of six Panthers to play in every game… assisted on Ashley Eck's goal at Purdue and Pam Melinauskas' goal against Southeast Missouri… will enter her senior season as the OVC's active career leader with 11 assists… ranked sixth on the team in minutes played (1,462), averaging 76 per game… went the distance in road games at Northern Illinois and Western Kentucky… played a season-high 98 minutes in the overtime win at Tennessee Tech.

 

O'FALLON, Mo. (St. Joseph's) – Dani Flynn, sophomore, defender. Flynn played in 16 games and started 10 times, including the first seven matches of the season… also started both games of the Eastern Kentucky-Morehead State weekend… key member of an EIU defense that posted three straight shutouts and a scoreless streak of 434 consecutive minutes late in the season… averaged 68 minutes per game as a starter… went the distance, playing a season-high 110 minutes, in the scoreless draw vs. Northern Iowa.

WILDWOOD, Mo. (St. Joseph's) – Kaylin Lorbert, sophomore, goalkeeper. Two-time OVC Goalkeeper of the Week (Sept. 2 and Oct. 21)… Lorbert played in 11 games and started 10 times… got the starting nod in the OVC Tournament game at Morehead State… helped EIU lead the OVC in saves… made a career-high 11 saves in the OVC Tournament game against Morehead… also reached double-figures in saves (10) in the scoreless draw with Northern Iowa… put together a shutout streak of 342 minutes in October, helping spark EIU to an OVC Tournament berth… posted a shutout in each of her three OVC starts – Morehead State, Tennessee Tech and Austin Peay – and against UNI… earned OVC Goalkeeper of the Week honors after making 17 saves and posting back-to-back shutouts on the Tennessee Tech-Austin Peay road trip, and after making 16 saves and surrendering just one goal at the NIU Invitational… gave up just one goal in losses to Northern Illinois and Wright State… OVC Rankings: second in save percentage, third in saves per game, and fifth in shutouts… National Rankings: 20th in saves per game and 36th in save percentage… EIU Single-Season Rankings: Seventh in shutouts.