Spring Break
Column: First year, big year
Collin Whitchurch / Assistant Sports Editor
Issue date: 5/1/09 Section: Sports
I've been lucky enough to cover a variety of unique events this year, my first year attending Eastern.
I covered the travails of the women's soccer team right off the bat, watching them suffer through a 10-game goalless streak before a late season surge brought them to the Ohio Valley Conference.
After that, it was all women's basketball all the time for about four months, before finally getting the chance to cover the baseball team up to present date.
Here are some of the interesting events I've had the pleasure to cover in my first year, and I'm sure there will be many more to come.
Oct. 26 - Eastern 2, SEMO 1
I saw the women's soccer team struggle all year, but a late-season surge put them in position to gain a berth in the OVC Tournament. They needed to beat SEMO and get a little help from the rest of the conference.
Senior forward Pam Melinauskas and junior forward Sam Kohen scored the goals for Eastern, but even after the Eastern victory, players didn't know their fate until it was announced that Jacksonville State had lost their game that day, clinching the OVC Tournament berth for the Panthers. The announcement set off a celebration on the field.
It was a long, grueling season for the women's soccer team in 2008 with few bright spots, but it was cool to get to witness that one.
Nov. 14 - Eastern 82, Miami (Ohio) 72
I had no idea what I had gotten myself into when I latched onto covering the women's basketball team at the start of the season. By the end of their first regular season game, it was clear I was in for a pretty special trip.
The Panthers beat the defending Mid-American Conference Tournament champions that night, and it wasn't necessarily anything that happened that night that was special, but simply the fact that it started a four-month journey with one of the most fun teams I've ever had the pleasure to cover.
Feb. 21 - Murray State 84, Eastern 69 (OT)
Surprisingly enough, after all the successes of the women's basketball team this season, two of the most memorable games I covered were losses (the second one is next).
It wasn't necessarily the loss that was memorable but the scene afterward. It was Senior Night in Lantz Arena, and the five women who helped build the current program were playing their last game. Even after the heartbreaking loss to their arch rival, the women were gracious in receiving their honors at mid-court and were still willing to offer a kind word after the defeat.
March 7 - Austin Peay 69, Eastern 65 (2OT)
It was nearly impossible to not violate the "no cheering in the press box" rule during the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament Championship in Nashville, Tenn.
To borrow a phrase from their head coach, the Panthers "battled their tails off," but came up short for the second straight year.
Writing the story about their loss was probably the least-fun story I've written this year, but the journey the team went through to get to that point was pretty incredible to witness, and I consider myself pretty honored to get to see the team go through that crazy ride.
I left off baseball because its season is not complete, and I'm pretty confident that whatever memories they've created thus far will be surpassed come May. It's been a great 2008-09 sports season at Eastern, and I expect there will be much more to come next season.
Here's to the fall.
Collin Whitchurch can be reached at 581-7944 or cfwhitchurch@eiu.edu.
I covered the travails of the women's soccer team right off the bat, watching them suffer through a 10-game goalless streak before a late season surge brought them to the Ohio Valley Conference.
After that, it was all women's basketball all the time for about four months, before finally getting the chance to cover the baseball team up to present date.
Here are some of the interesting events I've had the pleasure to cover in my first year, and I'm sure there will be many more to come.
Oct. 26 - Eastern 2, SEMO 1
I saw the women's soccer team struggle all year, but a late-season surge put them in position to gain a berth in the OVC Tournament. They needed to beat SEMO and get a little help from the rest of the conference.
Senior forward Pam Melinauskas and junior forward Sam Kohen scored the goals for Eastern, but even after the Eastern victory, players didn't know their fate until it was announced that Jacksonville State had lost their game that day, clinching the OVC Tournament berth for the Panthers. The announcement set off a celebration on the field.
It was a long, grueling season for the women's soccer team in 2008 with few bright spots, but it was cool to get to witness that one.
Nov. 14 - Eastern 82, Miami (Ohio) 72
I had no idea what I had gotten myself into when I latched onto covering the women's basketball team at the start of the season. By the end of their first regular season game, it was clear I was in for a pretty special trip.
The Panthers beat the defending Mid-American Conference Tournament champions that night, and it wasn't necessarily anything that happened that night that was special, but simply the fact that it started a four-month journey with one of the most fun teams I've ever had the pleasure to cover.
Feb. 21 - Murray State 84, Eastern 69 (OT)
Surprisingly enough, after all the successes of the women's basketball team this season, two of the most memorable games I covered were losses (the second one is next).
It wasn't necessarily the loss that was memorable but the scene afterward. It was Senior Night in Lantz Arena, and the five women who helped build the current program were playing their last game. Even after the heartbreaking loss to their arch rival, the women were gracious in receiving their honors at mid-court and were still willing to offer a kind word after the defeat.
March 7 - Austin Peay 69, Eastern 65 (2OT)
It was nearly impossible to not violate the "no cheering in the press box" rule during the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament Championship in Nashville, Tenn.
To borrow a phrase from their head coach, the Panthers "battled their tails off," but came up short for the second straight year.
Writing the story about their loss was probably the least-fun story I've written this year, but the journey the team went through to get to that point was pretty incredible to witness, and I consider myself pretty honored to get to see the team go through that crazy ride.
I left off baseball because its season is not complete, and I'm pretty confident that whatever memories they've created thus far will be surpassed come May. It's been a great 2008-09 sports season at Eastern, and I expect there will be much more to come next season.
Here's to the fall.
Collin Whitchurch can be reached at 581-7944 or cfwhitchurch@eiu.edu.
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