Once again the men’s and women’s tennis team defeated Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville with the same overall score.

Sophomore Warren Race and the rest of Eastern’s tennis team performed well at the SIU-E tennis match this past Saturday. Warren beat Dylan Reed in straight sets with a score of 6-2, 6-2.

“The most complete match at Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville was Warren Race,” said Head coach John Blackburn.

The men’s and women’s teams were able to get their first wins of the season. Both teams won with an overall score of 4-2.

Last year the men beat SIU-E with a score of 5-1.

“The men showed improvement, but still have a lot of room for improvement before the next match,” Blackburn said.

Three other men won their matches at SIU-E. Junior Matayas Hilgert won his match; he won his first game with a score of 6-4 and won his second game with a score of 6-1.

Freshman Charlie Dryden won his match after losing the first set 4-6. Dryden won the next two sets 6-3 and 6-4.

The other man to win his match was freshman Kevin Bauman. Bauman also lost his first set with a score of 4-6, but he fought back to win the next two sets with a score 6-4 and 6-2.

“The women started out slow being their first match of the season, but it was good to start out the season off with a win,” Blackburn said.

Last year the women too beat SIU Edwardsville with a score of 5-1.

Four women won their matches: freshman Janelle Prisner, sophomore Merritt Whitley, junior Amanda Dibbs and senior Cara Huck.

Huck won her match with a score of 6-1, 6-0. Dibbs won her match in straight sets with a score of 6-2, 6-2.. Prisner won with a score of 6-3, 6-3.

“I think we did really well and played the way we should have at SIU Edwardsville,” Prisner said.

The last woman who won her match at Edwardsville was Whitley. Whitley won her match 6-3, 7-6.

“I think the team did good and is glad to get the first win as a team.” Whitley said.

But for both the men and the women their next matches will require them to play doubles matches as well as singles.

The men and women will be facing Indiana University-Purdue University at Fort Wayne this coming Saturday and the women will take on Northern Illinois University this coming Friday.

“Both the men and the women will have to work hard on doubles to get prepared for IPFW and NIU,” Blackburn said.

Grant Truccano can be reached at 581-7944

or gatruccano@eiu.edu.