Sometimes a loss can be the best thing that ever happens to a team.

According to Eastern tennis head coach Brian Holzegrafe, that is exactly the case in the men’s and women’s team’s losses to Murray State this past weekend.

“In hindsight, that (this weekend’s loss) might be the best thing that happened to us,” Holzegrafe said. “Today in practice everyone was focused. If we win (against Murray), we don’t have that.”

Eastern’s men’s team lost 3-4 and the women’s team was defeated 1-6.

The Panthers’ men’s team was in terrific position to defeat the defending Ohio Valley Conference champion Racers. Needing just one more singles victory to clinch the team win, Eastern had No. 3 Lukasz Pluta and No. 1 C.J. Weber competing on two different courts. Unfortunately the cold weather and injuries proved too much to overcome.

A win looked imminent for Weber, who won the first set 6-0 and was leading the second set, but Murray State’s Thiago Gondim rallied back to win the second set 6-4 and took the final set 7-5.

“C.J. (Weber) really put some great points together despite the elements,” Holzegrafe said. “But he was not playing his best tennis, no one is at that temperature.”

Weber’s loss left the fate of the team results in the racket of senior Lukasz Pluta.

“If I want two kids on the court, I want these kids (Weber and Pluta) because they’ve done it before,” Holzegrafe said.

Pluta lost the first set 6-4, but came back to win the second set 6-4.

In the third set, Pluta twisted his ankle, but after the trainers looked at the ankle, Pluta continued the match.

He could not hold off Murray’s Zakaria Bahri, who defeated Pluta 7-6.

“The whole match was decided by two points,” Holzegrafe said. “To be so close to beating Murray State, it makes me sick to my stomach.”

The women’s team, which has struggled with injuries all season, could not overcome the cold weather and its long list of hampered players.

Holzegrafe said the only player on the team 100 percent healthy was No. 7 Jill Wirtz, who played up as the No.6 player, losing 6-1, 6-1 to Tami McQueen.

Eastern’s only win of the match came from junior Amber Lenfert in the No. 4 match. Lenfert won in two sets 6-2, 6-4.

“We did see some good light at No. 4,” Holzegrafe said. “Lenfert really put together the best performance of the year so far.”

Coming into the Murray match, both of Eastern’s teams were ranked at No. 1 in the OVC.

Holzegrafe said it was difficult to handle since it was the first time in Eastern history that has happened.

“It was kinda weird,” Holzegrafe said. “It was the worst two weeks. This experience we just had is the motivating factor we need.”

The Panthers are refocused on their goal of winning the OVC Tournament.

“We’ve gone from No. 1 in the OVC, but that one setback really focused us on what we have had to do,” Holzegrafe said. “It’s a health issue; we know what you have to do, but when you’re not healthy, you don’t have the confidence you need and other teams do.”

The OVC Tournament is less than a month away (April 24-27). Holzegrafe said the Panthers are ready.

“I know every player on that team feels good about what’s coming up in the next few weeks,” Holzegrafe said.

The Panthers’ accomplishments this season are impressive, even to their head coach.

“I’ve seen this program go from laughing stock to people don’t want to play us,” Holzegrafe said.