The Panther men and women tennis squads will be on the road Friday matching up against the Saint Louis Billikens 4 p.m. Friday at the Sunset Tennis Center in Saint Louis.

The men are going into the match with an overall record of 2-1.

Last year, the Panthers dropped their match to Saint Louis 6-1, but they are feeling confident this time around.

Sophomore Matyas Hilgert played last year against Saint Louis and lost a tough match, losing in three sets 6-2, 1-6, 6-4.

“We played them last year (during) my first year,” Matyas said. “We lost to them even though I thought we had the skills to win.”

The Panther men know what they have to do to win on Friday and are confident in their abilities.

“The problem was we weren’t able to finish our matches,” Matyas said. “I think this year we can do much better with the team that we have.”

The team’s confidence is high as they are rallying around each other this season.

Freshman Justin Haag will be facing off against Saint Louis for the first time in his career and said he is ready for the challenge.

“I’m feeling good and confident,” Haag said. “I feel like we have good team spirit this year.”

The women will also be traveling to Saint Louis Friday with a 1-1 overall record to take on the Billikens.

The women did not play Saint Louis last season but they, like the men, are feeling good about the match.

Sophomore Juliana Frey cannot hold back her excitement for Friday’s match-up.

“I’m really pumped up because we have been practicing a lot,” Juliana said. “We have been working really hard this past month.”

Just like the men’s team, the women are really pulling for each other.

“I think we have been bonding and all of us cheer for each other all of the time,” Juliana said. “We are really confident as a team.”

The team did not play doubles in their last match against Southern Illinois Edwardsville due to time constraints, but freshman Merritt Whitley is not nervous about it.

“We defiantly did more doubles this week getting ready for our doubles matches, but we feel ready,” Whitley said.

After the match, the Eastern men will face-off against Illinois State 1:30 p.m. Sunday at the Evergreen Racquet Club in Bloomington.

Dane Urban can be reached at 581-7944 or dcurban@eiu.edu.