Issue date: 2/25/09 Section: Sports

Freshman Matyas Hilgert prepares to serve during practice on Thursday in Lantz Fieldhouse. The men's tennis team is 5-4 this season. (Erin Matheny / The Daily Eastern News)

The Eastern women's tennis team is 3-5 in dual meets this season.

But they could easily be 5-3. The Panthers have lost two 4-3 matches this season, and both of the 4-3 losses have come against teams that are on hot steaks.

Eastern lost 4-3 on Sunday against Northern Iowa (8-1), a team that has won eight matches in a row. The Panthers did not win the doubles point and only won one of three doubles matches in this match, and junior Hayley Homburg lost in three sets, 3-6, 6-1, 3-6.

"We definitely want to improve our overall record on the season, and we definitely have a positive outlook on the matches still ahead of us," said Eastern freshman Shannon Brooks. "There is still a long season ahead of us, and we plan on being prepared for what lies ahead."

On Feb. 14, the Panthers lost 4-3 to Indiana-Purdue-Fort Wayne (7-2), in Fort Wayne, Ind.

Eastern won two of the three doubles matches to earn the doubles point. But the Panthers lost at No. 2 singles in three sets. Freshman Amanda Dibbs lost 7-5, 2-6, 6-0 at No. 2 singles. When the Mastodons defeated Eastern, IPFW had won six matches in a row.


Homburg's winning streak snapped

Homburg had won five straight singles matches before losing in three sets on Sunday to Northern Iowa.

Sunday was the first time Homburg had played at No. 1 doubles this season. She had won at No. 2, No. 3 and No. 4 singles earlier in the season. She also won a three-set match on Jan. 24 against Southern Illinois Edwardsville's Laura Horning 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.

Homburg, however, has won four straight doubles matches. During this streak, she has teamed up with Brooks and Dibbs to win at No. 1 and No. 3 doubles.

Homburg was the Ohio Valley Conference Freshman of the Year in 2007. She played mostly at No. 3 singles in 2008, going 9-8 in that position, while finishing with a 10-5 in doubles.

Homburg (5-3) has the best dual-meet record of singles play this season.


Schedule full of non-league matches left

The Eastern women's tennis team will play Illinois State at 7 p.m. Friday in Normal. The Panthers will also play Butler at 5 p.m. on March 6 in Indianapolis.

Their final non-conference and home-opening match is against Western Illinois at 1 p.m. at Darling Courts.

They will start OVC play against Eastern Kentucky at 2 p.m. on March 21 at Darling Courts.

The Eastern men's tennis team (5-4) will play Bradley at noon on March 4 in Peoria. They will continue play against Butler at 1 p.m. on March 6 in Indianapolis.

Their final non-conference and home-opening match is against Western Illinois at 1 p.m. at Darling Courts.

"We are definitely looking to finish off the non-conference schedule on a strong note," freshman Drew Grimaldi said. "Hopefully, us youngsters can help the upperclassmen toward achieving a conference title.

The men's team will start the conference schedule against Eastern Kentucky at 11 a.m. on March 21 at Darling Courts.


Wally Swenson can be reached at 581-7944 or at wfswenson@eiu.edu.

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