High flying tennis teams host OVC rival Murray State
The Eastern men’s and women’s tennis teams are currently ranked No.1 in the Ohio Valley Conference as they go into their conference openers against the Murray State Racers.
“It’s not something that we’ve had in the past and it’s something that they have right now,” coach Brian Holzgrafe said. “It has probably been the first time since the 1940s or 1950s since the last time they were ranked No. 1 in the conference so it’s a special time.”
The Panther’s men (7-5, 2-0) and women (8-3, 2-0) struggled against Murray last year. The Racers defeated the men’s team 7-0 and the women’s team 6-0 the last time the two teams met.
Murray’s men’s team (6-9, 1-1) are currently ranked fifth in the OVC, but Murray’s standing doesn’t matter according to Holzgrafe.
The Panther men are experiencing injuries in the middle of the lineup, but haven’t experienced any problems with their No. 1 or No. 2 players, C.J. Weber or Brandon Blankenbaker.
“What is going to be a really big challenge is the top of our team has constantly come through and battled,” Holzgrafe said. “We’ve been able to win up top (in the roster), but we are putting more strain on the top. We are going to battle more at the bottom, they are ready to do that.”
The women’s team’s four-match winning streak came to an end with a 6-1 loss to Butler on March 25. The Panthers have been experiencing a multitude of different injuries, including their No. 1 player Jana Matouskova, and now returning from an injury. Murray State’s No. 1 player Melissa Spencer should present a match-up challenge with Matouskova according to Holzgrafe.
The men’s and women’s non-conference record maybe solid, but according to Holzgrafe what really matters is conference play.
“It’s important to do well in the conference play,” Holzgrafe said. “This is about getting a good seed in the OVC; to put ourselves in the best position for a bid at the national tournament.”
The men’s match against the Racers begins at 10 a.m., and the women’s match against the Racers begins at 2 p.m. April 5 at Darling Courts.
