Sophomore Merritt Whitley is no longer undefeated. Whitley was handed her first loss this past Friday in Carbondale going against the Southern Illinois University Salukis.

Whitley was 3-0 for the season before going into the match versus the Salukis. Whitley lost her sets with scores of 6-3, 6-1.

“I didn’t play as well as I hoped to, but we all have off days,” Whitley said.

The Salukis beat the Panthers with a score of 6-1.

The only woman to win her match was junior Annie Egan and she won by default.

All the rest of the women lost their singles and doubles matches.

“It felt like it could have gone better,” Whitley said. “They are a good team.”

In doubles, the only team that kept it close was the team of senior Cara Huck and Whitley. The team lost 9-8. The other doubles team was junior Amanda Dibbs and junior Shannon Brooks. Brooks and Dibbs lost their match with a score of 8-4.

“I think we all struggled a little bit,” Whitley said. “We should have got the doubles point but singles hurt us the most.”

For the season, the women overall are now 2-2.

Their next match is this Saturday against the Illinois State Redbirds.

The only man to win his singles match for the men’s tennis team is freshman Charlie Dryden. The men’s tennis team lost its match too, with a score of 6-1.

The Panthers lost to the Northern Illinois University Huskies.

In doubles, Dryden with sophomore Michael Sperry won their match with a score of 9-7.

All the rest of the doubles teams lost their matches.

Last time the Panthers faced the Huskies, the Panthers lost to the Huskies with a score of 2-5.

For the season the Panthers are 1-4.

The next two matches for the men’s tennis team is this Sunday as they will be going up against the Marquette University Golden Eagles and following after that, the University of Wisconsin at Green Bay Phoenix.

Their first match starts at 10 a.m. and their next one after that starts at 3 p.m.

Grant Truccano can be reached at 581-7944

or gatruccano@eiu.edu.