The Eastern women’s tennis team is coming off of its Alumni Match weekend, back to hard work at practice and keeping their momentum going. 

Senior Abby Carpenter, though, is looking to make the most out of her senior season, which includes the hopes of winning an Ohio Valley Conference Championship. 

The women’s tennis team is performing well with a combined team record of 20-8 record. Carpenter is coming off the Illinois State Invite, where she had a 2-1 record at the invite. 

Carpenter’s hometown is Wildwood, Mo. There were multiple reasons behind her decision to come to Eastern.

“I chose to come to EIU because of the phenomenal reputation the school contained with their tennis and business program,” Carpenter said. “It is close to my hometown, a nice campus size, and a place that I immediately loved and felt a connection to.”

With this year being Carpenter’s senior year, she only has one year left of being a Panther, which is why every invite and match is more important than ever before.

“Being a senior, I just want to make sure that every time I step on the court, I make it count for something,” Carpenter said. “Whether it is in competition or even in practices, I want to make as many amazing memories as possible with my team and coaches.”

When players leave a program in any sport, there is always a mentality of you want to be remembered for a certain quality or personality you had within the team. Carpenter will be gratified by what she is remembered by.

“I would like to be remembered as someone who is passionate for the sport and who has been a supportive teammate along the way,” Carpenter said. “My fellow teammates mean the world to me, and I have loved every second of playing tennis for EIU with them.”

Carpenter though is not ready for her senior season to end. 

For the last three years, the Panthers have been defeated in the semifinals of the Ohio Valley Conference Championship. So far with the momentum the team is gaining and it being Carpenter’s last year, the team is looking to win this year’s Ohio Valley Conference Championship.

“Winning the OVC championship would mean everything to me,” Carpenter said. “All of my other three years, we have been defeated in the semifinals of the conference tournament. Getting that close to winning it every year, shows us that we have a team that is able to finish as the conference champions for mine and Srishti’s (Slaria) final year.”

The Eastern women’s tennis team will have a week off before traveling next Wednesday, October 17 to the ITA Regionals at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Blake Faith can be reached at 581-2812 or [email protected]