MILWAUKEE – The Milwaukee tennis team will look to carry last week's momentum into this weekend as the Panthers take on Butler and Eastern Illinois. Action begins Saturday at 11 a.m. at the Butler Tennis Bowl. Sunday then features a Panther vs Panther matinee beginning at 12 p.m. from the Danville Tennis Center.
 
LAST TIME OUT:  Milwaukee (1-1) improved their all-time record to 5-0 against Cardinal Stritch last Saturday. The Black & Gold won convincingly, 6-1.
 
Freshman Giorgia Cavestro earned her first collegiate singles victory, winning 6-2, 6-1 from the No. 6 singles line.
 
Senior Mayya Perova also won handedly from the No. 1 singles line, dropping just one game in the 6-0, 6-1 victory.
 
ABOUT BUTLER: The Bulldogs are currently 0-3, with losses to Miami (OH), Cincinnati and Ball State. The team finished 6-10, 1-2 (Big East), a season ago.
 
Butler has a well-balanced roster with youth and seniority, and is led by sophomore Natalie Boesing who is one-of-four Bulldogs with a winning record from 2021. Boesing recorded a 9-6 singles record from the No. 1 position, and won a total of five doubles matches.
 
Also returning is senior Hallie Leblebijian. Leblebijian finished an overall singles record of 7-6, competing from the No. 5 and No. 6 singles lines.
 
ABOUT EASTERN ILLINOIS: The EIU Panthers wrapped the 2021 season with a 4-13, 1-6 (Ohio Valley) record. They are currently 0-5 to start the year.
 
The roster consists of just one senior and all sophomores. The lone senior, Rachel Papavasilopoulos, is a 2x First-Team All-OVC and was honored OVC Women's Tennis Player of the Year in 2019.
 
She finished the 2021 season 11-2, 4-1 all from the No. 1 singles line. In doubles, she also helped her team with seven victories with three different doubles partners. The senior has moved to the Top 10 on EIU career singles wins list with a total of 44 total wins.
 
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: The weekend of February 12-13 will be the last time the Panthers are home until March 26. The Black & Gold will host Eastern Michigan Saturday at 3 p.m., and follow-up with a 3 p.m. Sunday matinee against cross-town rival Marquette.