Junior Sarah Freeman has a 7-5 singles record this season where she plays as the Panthers´ No. 2 player.

Women's goal on Friday: Defeat the undefeated

Murray State has not lost in five OVC games on women's side

By: Dan Renick/ Staff Writer

Posted: 4/9/04

Eastern's tennis teams will have a long weekend as they travel to Murray, Ky., for three conference matches that could make or break the Panthers hopes at a Ohio Valley Conference title.

Eastern starts the weekend at Murray State with a match against the host team at noon. On the men's side, Eastern (8-7, 3-1) will start the three-day road trip with the struggling Racers (2-11, 1-1).

The women (6-6, 3-2), who are currently sixth in the OVC, go up against a tough Murray State team (13-5, 5-0) that leads the OVC. Senior Becky Brunner (9-3) will put her six-match win streak, and perfect 5-0 conference record, on the line as she hopes to lead the lady Panthers to an upset.

The women, however, will also need big matches from junior Sarah Freeman (7-5), who has been slowed with foot injuries, and freshman Madina Mambetova (9-3) if they hope to overcome the OVC-leading Racers.

On Saturday, the teams will take the courts for a 10 a.m. match against Samford. The men, who are fourth in conference, will be lead by seniors C.J. Weber (12-2) and Brandon Blankenbaker (12-3) as they hope to beat an evenly matched Bulldog squad (9-8, 4-3). The women are hoping to get past a Samford team that has posted a 12-5 record and 6-1 in conference.

In the final match of the weekend, the Panthers will go head-to-head with Jacksonville State at 10 a.m. The men will have their toughest match of the weekend as they face the Gamecocks (8-6) who are currently second in conference.

The Panthers hope to hand them their second conference loss of the season. Finally, the woman will play a Jacksonville State team, that is near the bottom of the OVC with a 6-11 record.

The women will be back at home for their regular season finale on Tuesday, but this is the final regular season matches for the men's team before the OVC tournament next weekend in Nashville, Tenn.