The Eastern men’s tennis team will be traveling to West Lafayette, Ind. to take on the Purdue Boilermakers this coming Saturday.

“Purdue is a tough team and is ranked in the top 75 of the Nation for tennis,” said sophomore Warren Race.

Last year the men lost their match to Purdue with a score of 2-5.

Only one current member of the men’s team won his match last year at Purdue. That tennis member was sophomore Michael Sperry. Sperry won both of his sets with a score of 6-4.

No one on the team this year won their doubles match last year at Purdue.

The men’s tennis team lost four out of their six singles matches against the Boilermakers.

“We have to play good and play our A game,” Race said.

The Purdue Boilermakers are currently 2-2 for the season in tennis.

The Boilermakers beat the 73rd ranked team in the nation on January 30. They beat Yale with a score of 4-3.

The Panthers right now are at 1-2 for the 2011 season.

“Purdue is a more experienced team and they know that they can do better than us if we are not playing our game,” Race said.

One player who could be a big factor for the win at Purdue is freshman Kevin Bauman. Bauman is the only men’s tennis player on the team who is undefeated, with a record of 3-0.

Bauman won his first match at Ball State University. He won both of his sets, with scores of 7-6, 6-2.

He won his second match against the Cougars of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. He lost his first set with a score of 2-6 but won his next two sets with scores of 6-4, 6-2.

Bauman won his last match at Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne. He won his first set with a score of 6-1, he would lose his second set 4-6, and win his third set 10-4.

“We are finishing in points during practice time to get us ready to face Purdue in doubles,” Race said. As of right now the Panthers are 1-5 in doubles.

“We need to play solid, get an early head start against Purdue, and have a great performance against the Boilermakers,” Race said.

“Purdue has a few more older players than us,” Race said.

The Panthers’ match will start at 5 p.m.

Grant Truccano can be reached at 581-7944 or gatruccano@eiu.edu.