The Eastern men’s tennis team has had a tough season thus far, as it had to endure a seven-game losing streak.

After its first home match and a victory on March 8 and a strong road win at in Nashville, Tenn., the team looks to bounce back.

The tennis team had a tough road defeat on Sunday, but will travel to Jacksonville, Ala. to face Jacksonville State and an attempt to secure a victory.

The Jacksonville State team is having a season with a 6-7 record and is awaiting the Panther team to try and make their home record 4-2.

The Gamecocks are led by Eric Matthieson and Igor Santos who both have .500 records and will try and turn their records around against the Panthers.

A road win for the Eastern’s men’s team would be followed by a home stretch versus Eastern Kentucky on Saturday and Morehead State on Sunday. The home stand could serve as launching pad for the men’s team for the latter half of the season and championship.

The team will have to lean on performances by both Kevin Bauman and Matyas Hilgert. Bauman, who is the only Panther with a winning record, has served as the backbone for the struggling team. Hilgert, who has shown flashes of brilliance on the court, will have to play strong.

The Panther team will also have to face a familiar foe in the shape of the cooling weather that will encompass the campus later this week. The weather seemed to have no effect on their first home performance with an impressive 7-0 victory.

Seamus Riley can be reached at 581-7944 or at srriley@eiu.edu

Warren Race, sophomore, misses a serve against Kaskaskia College March 8 at Rex Darling Courts. The panthers take on Jacksonville State today at Jacksonville, Ala. (Seth Shroeder/The Daily Eastern News)

(more…)