2014 OVC Tennis Tournament Bracket (PDF)
CHARLESTON, Ill. -- Eastern Illinois men's and women's tennis split home Ohio Valley Conference action versus rival Belmont on Sunday (April 13), as the ladies won, 5-1, but the guys dropped a tough 4-2 match. However, both units have earned No. 6 Seeds at next week's league tournament in Paducah, Ky.
The split moves the Panthers to 11-5 overall and finish with an even 5-5 league mark, while the Eastern men fall to 7-9 and 4-5.
Next Thursday (April 17), the EIU men will take on No. 3-Austin Peay to open up tourney play at 10 a.m., while the Panther women are set to face No. 3-Morehead State at 2 p.m.
In the home finale vs. the Bruins, the Panther women earned the doubles point and then won four of five singles, while guys dropped the hard-fought doubles point, but picked up just two wins in singles for the final team score.
Janelle Prisner, Kelly Iden, Sephora Boulbahaiem, and Ali Foster all hit past their respective No. 1 thru No. 4 singles opponents in straights.
"I thought the team showed a lot of heart this last week of the season," said EIU director of tennis/women's head coach John Blackburn,"battling in all the matches and in the end getting the job done to clinch a berth to the OVC Tournament.
"I think we are capable of playing at higher level and we can begin to that goal on Thursday with great passion and will see where it leads us. There's alot of very good teams in the tourney but I believe in what we can do as a team and we are up to the challenge."
For the men, sophomore Robert Skolik earned a straight win at the No. 4 spot, while newcomer Moritz Kandt and Ryan Henderson dropped a pair of tough three set affairs at No. 1 and No. 3 play.
"We had our chances today," said associate tennis director/men's coach Eric Stark. "We were right there shot for shot with the co-champions. We just need to take advantage of those opportunities when we get them.
"We head into the OVC Tournament though knowing we are right there with the other five team s. I think our guys are confident going in and are looking forward to making a little noise next week."
Prior to the match, EIU recognized three seniors -- Prisner, Kevin Bauman and Vova Zverkovsky -- for their four-year contributions to the Panther tennis programs.
BEL Men at EIU Men
Apr. 13, 2014 at Charleston, Ill.
(Charleston HS Courts)
Belmont 4, Eastern Illinois 2
Singles
1. Mauricio Antun (BEL) def. Moritz Kandt (EIU) - 3-6, 6-4, 6-1
2. Marko Lovrinovic (BEL) def. Grant Thompson (EIU) - 6-4, 6-3
3. Cedric Dujacquier (BEL) def. Ryan Henderson (EIU) - 2-6, 7-5, 6-2
4. Robert Skolik (EIU) def. Hans Nardelli (BEL) - 6-3, 6-0
5. Kevin Bauman (EIU) vs. Henrik Claesson (BEL) - 3-3, unfinished
6. Rui Silva (EIU) won by default
Doubles
1. Antun/Lovrinovic (BEL) def. Bauman/Skolik (EIU) - 8-4
2. Dujacquier/Claesson (BEL) def. Henderson/Silva (EIU) - 8-7 (10-8)
3. Thompson/Kandt (EIU) won by default
Match Notes:
Belmont 10-9 (8-1 OVC)
Eastern Illinois 7-9 (4-5 OVC)
Order of finish: Doubles (1,2*); Singles (2,3,1*,4)
Ohio Valley Conference match
BEL Women at EIU Women
Apr. 13, 2014 at Charleston, Ill.
(Charleston HS Courts)
Eastern Illinois 5, Belmont 1
Singles
1. Janelle Prisner (EIU) def. Laura Van Eeckhoudt (BEL) - 6-2, 6-2
2. Kelly Iden (EIU) def. Kendall Warren (BEL) - 7-6, 6-2
3. Sephora Boulbahaiem (EIU) def. Nikki Maciel (BEL) - 6-1, 6-2
4. Ali Foster (EIU) def. Abbie Mather (BEL) - 6-2, 6-3
5. Ann Lauren Fiepke (BEL) def. Kamile Stadalninkaite (EIU) - 6-0, 6-4
6. Hannah Kimbrough (EIU) vs. Erika Marschall (BEL) - 6-4, 2-1, unfinished
Doubles
1. Prisner/Boulbahaiem (EIU) def. WarrenVan Eeckhoudt (BEL) - 8-4
2. Foster/Kimbrough (EIU) vs. Kancheva/Maciel (BEL) - 5-5, unfinished
3. Iden/Stadalninkaite (EIUW) def. Maddie Gilley/Abbie Mather (BEL) - 8-1
Match Notes:
Belmont 3-12 (1-9 OVC)
Eastern Illinois 11-5 (5-5 OVC)
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1*); Singles (1,3,2*,4,5)
Ohio Valley Conference match
... for more info, contact Bart Rettberg, Asst. SID
