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INDIANAPOLIS - Eastern Illinois forward Ashley Streid scored twice - once by air and the other by land - to send the visiting Panthers to a 2-0 victory over the Jaguars at Kuntz Stadium on Friday night. On a night when the Jaguars received their 2008 Summit League championship rings, the celebration was tempered by the season opening loss.

As IUPUI (0-1) missed quality opportunities early, Eastern finally took control early in the second half.

"When you're in a game like that, you really need to capitalize early," Head Coach Chris Johnson said. "The longer you keep them in the game, the more confidence they get.

"And tonight, it came down to two plays - that's the game right there. One was a cross that got caught in the wind and the other was a miscommunication between Jamie (Farrell) and Kelly (Williams) in the back. Those two plays changed the game. Give them credit, they made the plays and we didn't."

Playing with the wind at their back, EIU's (1-0) Jessie Morgan flared a diagonal ball to the right flank to Streid who was working one-on-one with her defender. Streid beat her mark and IUPUI goalkeeper Jamie Farrell was well off her back line, allowing the EIU striker to loft a ball that nestled just inside the far post, breaking the scoreless tie in the 59th minute. In the 64th minute, Streid again got loose on the right side and rolled a shot just inside the far post as Farrell tried to close off her shooting angle.

Farrell finished with six saves, eclipsing the 300 plateau in her collegiate career in the process.

Offensively, IUPUI controlled the pace in the early going, getting quality opportunities from Leslie Walker and Anna Pigg in the opening stanza. Pigg forced EIU's Kaylin Lorbert to make a diving stop in the 34th minute after getting free behind the Panthers' defense. 

Chelsi McHenry and Katrina McCrory led the IUPUI offense with three shots each and Streid led all players with four tries. All three of McHenry's attempts were on frame, including a well placed shot in the second half that Lorbert gloved just inside the right post. Lorbert made five stops in the shutout.

IUPUI played without reigning Summit League Newcomer of the Year Alicia Brock, who was assessed a red card in the 2008 season finale. Brock scored a team-high nine goals as a freshman.

"It'll be nice to get another proven goal scorer out there," Johnson said. "I thought our forwards tonight did a good job creating some chances, we just didn't put any balls away. Whoever shows that they can finish chances is going to be out there.

"We've got to learn to put people away, but we've got a bright, bright future ahead of us."

IUPUI returns to action next Friday when it heads to Butler for a 5:00 p.m. kickoff.