CHARLESTON, Ill. – The Panther men's tennis team came within one set of a victory on Friday afternoon in Charleston, Ill. EIU fell to the Belmont Bruins 4-3 in their first true home match of the season on the Darling Courts.
With the loss EIU is now 3-11 on the year and 1-3 in OVC play while the Bruins improved to 6-8 and 2-3 in the OVC.
The Panthers nearly earned their first win ever against the Bruins posting their best performance against Belmont in school history despite the 4-3 loss. EIU's all-time series record against Belmont is now 0-4.
After losing the doubles point the Panthers lost the next two matches in which Belmont's Cedric Dujacquier beat Ryan Henderson and Bruno Russo defeated Ognjen Jevtic.
EIU went down 3-0 early in the match before tying up the score, with points coming from Grant Reiman [6-2, 6-4], Trent Reiman [6-2, 7-5], and Robert Skolik [7-5,6-2].
The match point was then on Rui Silva's shoulders who took his opponent to a third set before falling to Belmont's Zak Khan [2-6, 6-3, 6-3], who sealed the win for the Bruins in the No. 4 spot.
The EIU men's team plays again tomorrow Saturday in Danville following the women's tennis match. the Panthers will take on Tennessee State who just lost to SIUE today 4-0. The Panthers look to keep an all-time undefeated record against the Tigers on Saturday having won all 17 previous meetings between the two schools.
Belmont 4, Eastern Illinois 3
Singles
1. Cedric Dujacquier (BELM) def. HENDERSON, Ryan (EIUM) 6-2, 6-4
2. SKOLIK, Robert (EIUM) def. Robin Demasse (BELM) 7-5, 6-2
3. REIMAN, Grant (EIUM) def. Adam Rudowski (BELM) 6-2, 6-4
4. Zak Khan (BELM) def. SILVA, Rui (EIUM) 2-6, 6-3, 6-3
5. REIMAN, Trent (EIUM) def. Toby Nicholson (BELM) 6-2, 7-5
6. Bruno Russo (BELM) def. JEVTIC, Ognjen (EIUM) 6-3, 6-2
Doubles
1. SKOLIK, Robert/SILVA, Rui (EIUM) vs. Cedric Dujacquier/Robin Demasse (BELM) 5-4, unfinished
2. Zak Khan/Caio Niel (BELM) def. HENDERSON, Ryan/JEVTIC, Ognjen (EIUM) 6-2
3. Bruno Russo/Adam Rudowski (BELM) def. REIMAN, Grant/REIMAN, Trent (EIUM) 6-1
