The Eastern Illinois women’s soccer team is gearing up for the opening round of the OVC Tournament on Friday. The Panthers, led by head coach Dirk Bennett, will face off against Southeast Missouri, a team they’ve historically had success against in the tournament. Eastern Illinois enters the game with momentum after back-to-back victories over Lindenwood and Southern Indiana. The Panthers will rely on their top scorers, Zenaya Barnes, Abby Reinl, and Alex Tetteh, to lead the offensive charge. Freshman goalkeeper Ella Kratochvill will anchor the defense with her impressive performances throughout the season. The winner of this match will advance to face SIUE in the quarterfinals on Sunday.