MILWAUKEE – The Milwaukee tennis team will host the Eastern Michigan Eagles and Marquette Golden Eagles this weekend beginning Saturday, February 12 at 3 p.m. and a 3 p.m. Sunday matinee against cross-town rival Marquette. Both matches will be held at Elite – River Glen.
LAST TIME OUT: Milwaukee split the weekend on the road, starting off with a loss to Butler, but rebounded the following day with a win over Eastern Illinois.
The Panthers earned a doubles win from
Greta Carbone and
Iva Stejskalova, but it was in singles play where the Panthers stepped up their game. MKE trailed 2-0 early in the match, but stormed back winning the next three matches to shift the momentum. Freshman
Avery Durham not only earned her first collegiate singles victory (6-2 ,6-0), but also clinched the match for the Milwaukee.
SCOUTING EASTERN MICHIGAN: The Eastern Michigan Eagles finished 10-17, 1-13 Mid-American Conference (MAC) in 2021, and are currently 1-3 so far this season with a win over Lawrence Tech. The Eagles recently lost to Cleveland State, 4-3, and will take on UIC before they match up against the Panthers.
EMU return leaders Emma-Lou Pommiers, Vasavi Gansan and Luisa Pelayo. All three earned double-digit wins in singles and combined for 41 of the teams 58 wins at singles.
In doubles, Isabelle Popma and Ganesan teamed up in 2021 with a 12-5 record, and 10-5 record from the No. 1 doubles line.
SCOUTING MARQUETTE: The Golden Eagles are currently 3-4 this season with wins over Chicago State, North Dakota and Eastern Illinois. They are set to play Northern Illinois Friday before taking on the Panthers on Sunday.
Redshirt senior Natalija Popovic has accumulated 47 wins at singles and 57 in doubles over the course of her career. Currently she is 10-5, 4-1 in duals. In doubles, she is teamed up with Emillija Kojcic and together they are 7-3, 4-2 in duals, all from the No. 1 doubles line.
THE POLLS ARE OUT: Earlier this week, the Horizon League Preseason Coaches poll came out, and the Panthers came in at No. 4. UIC and Youngstown State finished No. 1 and No. 2, while Cleveland State rounded out the top three.
2022 Horizon League Women's Tennis Preseason Poll
Pl. Team – Pts. (First-place votes)
1. UIC – 47 (5)
2. Youngstown State – 43 (2)
3. Cleveland State – 35
4. Milwaukee – 24
5. Oakland – 21
6. Northern Kentucky – 19
7. IUPUI – 7
THE BLACK & GOLD: The Panthers enter the 2022 season with a mix of experience and newcomers. Returning are seniors
Nikki Milner,
Mayya Perova and
Anika Tylek. All three return with valuable court experience throughout their four-year tenure with the Black & Gold.
Also returning are sophomores
Iva Stejskalova and reigning Horizon League Freshman of the Year,
Greta Carbone.
Newcomers include (sophomore)
Babette Burgersdijk who transferred in from Louisiana Lafayette, and freshmen
Giorgia Cavestro and
Avery Durham.
Follow MKE on Twitter and Instagram (@MKE_Tennis) and get to know the 2022 roster with Get to Know the Panthers video series.
2022 SCHEDULE: For the first two months, Milwaukee hits the non-conference schedule hard with strong opponents such as Butler, Eastern Illinois, Marquette, Drake, and SIUE. Out of 15 non-conference duals this season, the Panthers are home just four times before Horizon League play in March.
On the flip side, the Panthers will host the majority of conference play. MKE will host IUPUI, Northern Kentucky, UIC and Oakland in the month of April.
COVID-19 PROTOCOL: Per UW-Milwaukee, masks will be required for all spectators, regardless of vaccination status, at Elite Sports Club. Masks must be worn at all times, except while actively eating or drinking. Masks must completely cover the wearer's nose and mouth. Spectators failing to adhere to this policy may be asked to leave the venue. Children under 3 years old are exempt from the mandatory mask policy.
NEXT UP: This weekend's duals mark the last home matches for the Panthers until March 26. MKE will hit the road for the next five weeks, beginning with Wayne State University and Western Michigan the weekend of February 19
th.
