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DANVILLE, Ill. – It came down to the third set of the final match for Southern Indiana to edge Eastern Illinois in the conference opener for both teams as USI won 4-3 over EIU on Saturday afternoon at the Danville Tennis Center.

Tied at 3-3 the match was decided at No. 6 singles with Dylan Brown (USI) and William Hays (EIU) playing.  Brown won the opening set in a tie-break 7-6 (7-3).  Hays responded winning the second set 7-5.  Hays had an early lead in the third set before Brown was able to rally to win 6-3 to clinch the match for the Screaming Eagles.

EIU jumped out to an early 1-0 lead winning the doubles point.  The Panthers won at No. 3 and No. 2 doubles to clinch the point.  Max Pilipovic-Kljajic and Tyler Carlin won 6-1 at No. 3 doubles.  Alex Dinkov and Pau Riera won 6-3 at No. 2 doubles.

After USI evened the match at 1-1 with a win at No. 3 singles, Dinkov pushed EIU back out to 2-1 lead in the match winning 6-4, 6-2 at No. 4 singles over Yahor Bahdanovich.

USI then won at No. 2 and 1 singles to take a 3-2 overall lead in the match.  Thomas Wallace would square the match for the Panthers with his win at No. 5 singles winning 6-3, 6-3, over Quinten Gillespie.

EIU fell to 4-7 overall, 0-1 in the Horizon League.  USI improved to 4-8 overall, 1-0 in the Horizon League.