DAYTON, Ohio --  Eastern Illinois men's and women's tennis split their respective matches at Dayton on Sunday (Jan. 29).  The Panther men lost a tight 5-2 match while the women earned a nice 6-1 victory.

The EIU women move to an even 1-1 early season mark while it was the season-opening match for the Panther gents.

The Eastern women earned their first win of the year as they first swept the home squad in doubles play before earning five of the next six singles matches, as each of the Panther victories came via straight sets.

At No. 2, junior Merritt Whitley won via 6-0 and 7-6 scores, while both senior Shannon Brooks and newcomer Sephora Boulbahaiem also earned a 6-0 second set wins at their respective No. 5 and No. 6 bouts.

For the guys, senior Matyas Hilgert and junior Warren Race earned consecutive wins at the No. 2 and No. 3 spots in the singles lineup.  Meanwhile, junior Michael Sperry teamed with Hilgert for the lone doubles win at the top duos action.

The Panther men did push the Flyers to the limit in doubles play, however, as the No. 2 and No. 3 duo contests nearly went the distance before EIU fell by respective 9-7 and 8-6 marks.

Both Panther squads return to early-season spring play this coming weekend, with the men traveling to regional rival Saint Louis for a 3:45 p.m. match on Friday (Feb. 3), while the Eastern women host instate foe Southern Illinois on Saturday (Feb. 4), with a 1 p.m. contest slated to be played at the indoor facility in Danville.

Eastern Illinois at Dayton
Sun., January 29, 2012 in Dayton, Ohio

EIU Women 6, UD Women 1
Singles
1. Janelle Prisner (EIU) def. Claire McNulty (UD) - 6-3, 6-2
2. Merritt Whitley (EIU) def. Maureen Stevens (UD) - 6-0, 7-6
3. Sammi Hornbarger (UD) def. Jennifer Kim (EIU) - 6-3, 6-1
4. Amanda Dibbs (EIU) def. Erin Filbrant (UD) - 6-1, 6-1
5. Shannon Brooks (EIU) def. Victoria Marchant (UD) - 6-2, 6-0
6. Sephora Boulbahaiem (EIU) def. Georgia Lammers (UD) - 6-3, 6-0
Doubles
1. Prisner/Whitley (EIU) def. Hornbarger/Stevens (UD) - 8-3
2. Dibbs/Brooks (EIU) def. Filbrant/Marchant (UD) - 8-2
3. Kristen Laird/Annie Egan (EIU) def. McNulty/Lammers (UD) - 8-6


UD Men 5, EIU Men 2
Singles
1. Andrew Hanley (UD) def. Michael Sperry (EIU) - 6-3, 5-7, 6-2
2. Matyas Hilgert (EIU) def. Robert Salcedo (UD) - 7-5, 6-3
3. Warren Race (EIU) def. Joe West (UD) - 6-4, 4-6, 6-4
4. Josh Malyon (UD) def. Jamie Firth (EIU) - 5-7, 6-2, 6-2
5. Colin Bernier (UD) def. David Constantinescu (EIU) - 6-2, 6-4
6. Benito Benalcazar (UD) def. Volodymyr Zverkovsky (EIU) - 6-1, 6-2
Doubles
1. Sperry/Hilgert (EIU) def. Hanley/Benalcazar (UD) - 8-6
2. Salcedo/West (UD) def. Firth/Constantinescu (EIU) - 9-7
3. Malyon/Bernier (UD) def. Race/Zverkovsky (EIU) - 8-6


Match Notes:  Season opener for EIU men (0-1)

... for more info, contact Bart Rettberg, Asst. SID