Tennis: Eastern women sweep weekend opponents
Eastern women’s tennis continued its undefeated spring season this weekend with wins against Niagara and Indiana-Purdue-Fort Wayne.
The Panthers (4-0) defeated Niagara 6-1 on Saturday, and swept IPFW 7-0 on Friday in Fort Wayne, Ind. The women swept all the doubles matches in both matches.
The lone loss of the weekend came in Saturday’s No. 3 singles match when Niagara’s senior Shella Dargout defeated Eastern sophomore Hayley Homburg 7-6, 4-6, 10-6.
Despite the one loss, the Panthers controlled singles play easily.
Senior Sandra Sasidharan defeated freshman Raquel Solis 6-2, 6-4 at No. 1 singles. Junior Natalie Martin defeated Vanja Lakic 6-0, 6-1 at No. 2 singles. Freshman Abby Allgire defeated sophomore Emma Cunnington 6-0, 6-1 in No. 4 singles. Freshman Cara Huck defeated junior Victoria Tiso 6-4, 6-0 in No. 5 singles, and senior Stephanie Harmazy defeated senior Kim Roberts 6-4, 6-2 in No. 6 singles.
Eastern would also dominate in doubles play against the Purple Eagles (0-6).
Martin and Homburg defeated Lakic and Dargout 8-2 at No. 1 doubles. Sasidharan and Huck defeated Solis and Cunningham 8-3 in No. 2 doubles. Allgire and sophomore Carrie Larson won the closest match of the day (8-4) against Tiso and Roberts No. 3 doubles.
The women’s team’s performance on Friday against IPFW (5-6) was also impressive, as they won five of six singles matches in straight sets.
“I guess against IPFW everyone just played amazing,” Martin said.
Eastern head coach John Blackburn is not reveling in the women’s team’s early success despite the decisive play of the weekend’s matches.
“Our best tennis is ahead of us,” Blackburn said.
The women’s team travels Saturday to Cedar Falls, Iowa, to take on South Dakota State, and will also play Sunday at Northern Iowa.
The men’s team won two of its three matches this weekend, and swept St. Francis (Pa.) 7-0 in its final match on Sunday.
The Panthers won all six singles matches in straight sets against the Red Flash (0-6).
Sophomore Jeff Rutherford defeated junior Andrei Sandu 6-4, 6-1 at No. 1 singles. Junior Vuk Milicevic defeated junior Jeff Seevers 6-1, 6-1 at No. 2 singles. Junior
Tennis: Eastern women sweep weekend opponents
Men’s tennis player Jeff Rutherford forehands a volley during tennis practice at the Lantz Field House on Thursday afternoon. The Panthers open up their season this Saturday at Indiana Purdue Fort-Wayne. (John Bailey / The Daily Eastern News)
