EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.. – Eastern Illinois men's and women's tennis split respective Ohio Valley Conference road action at SIU Edwardsville on Wednesday, with the Panther guys falling by a 5-2 score, while the EIU women hit past the Cougars, 4-3.

The Eastern women improve to 10-3 overall and 5-1 in league action with the key win, as the Panther men fall to 7-6 and 2-3, respectively.

EIU women swept the doubles action for the all-important doubles point, which would prove to be the match winner, as sophomore Sephora Boulbahaiem, senior Merritt Whitley and junior Jennifer Kim all picked up straight set victories at No. 2, No. 3 and No. 5 singles action.

For the guys, juniors Kevin Bauman and Volodymyr Zverkovsky would account for the lone Panther singles victories as each clawed back from first set losses to pick up wins at No. 4 and No. 6 individual play.

The Panthers return to the courts this weekend, as both units travel to OVC power Jacksonville State on Saturday (April 6), while the men will also head to Tennessee Tech on Sunday.

EIU Women 4, SIUE Women 3
April 3, 2013 in Edwardsville, Ill.
SIUE Tennis Courts

Singles
1. Monique Krutak (SIUE) def. Janelle Prisner (EIU) - 6-4, 6-2
2. Sephora Boulbahaiem (EIU) def. Kali Donner (SIUE) - 6-4, 7-6
3. Merritt Whitley (EIU) def. Sierra Halverson (SIUE) - 6-2, 7-5
4. Haley Ilcewicz (SIUE) def. Ali Foster (EIU) - 6-0, 6-1
5. Jennifer Kim (EIU) def. McKenzie Thomas (SIUE) - 6-3, 6-4
6. Amanda Miller (SIUE) def. Hannah Kimbrough (EIU) - 6-4, 6-2

Doubles
1. Prisner/Whitley (EIU) def. Krutak/Ilcewicz (SIUE) - 8-7
2. Boulbahaiem/Kimbrough (EIU) def. Halverson/Donner (SIUE) - 8-1
3. Kristen Laird/Foster (EIU) def. Miller/Thomas (SIUE) - 8-4

Match Notes:
Eastern Illinois ... 10-3 (5-1 OVC)
SIU Edwardsville ... 5-11 (3-4 OVC)
... Ohio Valley Conference contest

......

SIUE Men 5, EIU Men 2
April 3, 2013 in Edwardsville, Ill.
SIUE Tennis Courts

Singles
1. Marten Jonsson (SIUE) def. Michael Sperry (EIU) - 6-1, 6-3
2. Nicolas Vincent (SIUE) def. Warren Race (EIU) - 6-3, 6-7, 6-4
3. Jacob Perkins (SIUE) def. Robert Skolik (EIU) - 1-6, 6-3, 7-6
4. Kevin Bauman (EIU) def. Jacob Tanulanond (SIUE) - 6-7, 6-3, 10-6
5. Nico Kuehn (SIUE) def. Rui Silva (EIU) - 6-3, 6-4
6. Volodymyr Zverkovsky (EIU) def. Stephen Washuta (SIUE) - 1-6, 6-4, 10-6

Doubles
1. Jonsson/Kuehn (SIUE) def. Race/Sperry (EIU) - 8-3
2. Bauman/Skolik (EIU) def. Washuta/Tanulanond (SIUE) - 8-7
3. Gary Dias/Vincent (SIUE) def. Silva/Zverkovsky (EIU) - 8-4

Match Notes:
Eastern Illinois ... 7-6 (2-3 OVC)
SIU Edwardsville ... 8-5 (3-2 OVC)
... Ohio Valley Conference contest

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