By Grant Truccano

Staff Reporter

The Eastern women’s tennis team traveled to Columbus, Ohio, where the Panthers took part in the 2011 United States Tennis Association/Intercollegiate Tennis Association Midwest Championship. The event began on October 20.

Only three team members took part in the event for the Panthers, sophomore Janelle Prisner, senior Amanda Dibbs, and senior Shannon Brooks.

In singles action, Prisner took on senior Maria Nivia of Western Michigan University. She won both of her sets 6-1 and 6-1 to Nivia.

Prisner then would face number one seed junior Breanne Smutko of the University of Illinois. Prisner would lose both her sets 2-6 and 1-6.

The other Panther that took part in singles competition was Dibbs. Dibbs faced senior Teona Tsertvadze of the University of Illinois-Chicago, where she lost both of her sets 4-6 and 0-6.

But then she took on senior Raquel Vescovi of Indiana-Purdue University Fort Wayne where she lost to her in two straight sets 3-6 and 4-6.

With doubles action, Brooks and Dibbs teamed up to take on the team of sophomore Sam Critser and freshman Sarah Lee of the University of Michigan where they lost 8-1.

Later on they took on the team of sophomore Chrissy Coffman and junior Silvia Carvajal of the University of Toledo and beat them 8-5.

AROUND THE OVC

The Jacksonville State Gamecocks took part in the 2011 Southern USTA/ITA Regional Championship at Samford University last Thursday.

In singles matches, the Gamecocks went 1-4, and in doubles matches they went 0-1.

They will now be competing in the Southern Miss Invitational this Friday.

The Eastern Kentucky Colonels traveled to the University of Memphis to take part in the 2011 Ohio Valley USTA/ITA Regional Championship on October 14th.

In singles matches the Colonels went 2-2 and in doubles matches they are at 5-3.

The University of Tennessee-Martin Skyhawks also took part in the 2011 Ohio Valley USTA/ITA Regional Championship on October 14th.

In singles matches the Skyhawks went 0-1 and in doubles they went 2-3.

The Murray State Racers will take part in the Southern Mississippi Tournament this Friday.

Austin Peay will start their spring season taking the University of Memphis on January 20th in Clarksville, Tenn.

Grant Truccano can be reached at 581-7942 or gatruccano@eiu.edu.