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MACOMB, Ill. - Western Illinois men's tennis continues its 21-match road swing this weekend (Feb. 9) as it takes on Marquette on Saturday afternoon.
The Leathernecks (3-5 overall) look to take down the Golden Eagles (2-1) in Western's lone match of the weekend.
THE BREAKDOWN
WHO: Western Illinois at Marquette
WHEN: Friday, Feb. 9, at 4 p.m.
LOCATION: Milwaukee
VENUE: Helfaer Tennis Stadium
WHEN: Friday, Feb. 9, at 4 p.m.
LOCATION: Milwaukee
VENUE: Helfaer Tennis Stadium
NOTES
LIKELY LINEUP: Freshman Christoph Haertel enters as the top singles player. The Germany native was a top junior player overseas and all-state at Quincy High School as a foreign exchange student.
At No. 2 singles, senior Patrick Hammers brings the most collegiate experience to the Leatherneck lineup. As the only senior on the roster, Hammers is a two-time All-Summit League selection.
Another freshman, Bradley Holt, will likely be slotted at No. 3 singles. Just the second four-star recruit in WIU men's tennis history, Holt currently leads the team with a 5-3 singles mark.
Junior Ben Yue
also brings collegiate experience into the Leatherneck lineup, likely
at No. 4 singles. Yue had a team best 9-8 record at No. 2 singles in
2011-12.
Western's No. 5 singles player, sophomore Mitch Granger,
is currently ranked by the ITA as the No. 17 singles player in the NCAA
Division I central region. Granger is one of two Leathernecks with an above .500 record, sitting at 4-3.
The sixth singles slot is held by another freshman, Max Cederkall. The Sweden native 4-4 in singles play, including 3-2 at sixth singles
At doubles, the top slot is held by the two most experienced players on the team in Hammers and Yue.
Holt and Haertel have combined for an impressive 5-1 doubles record so far this year, including 4-1 at No. 2 doubles.
The combination of Granger and Brandon Meeker is typically slotted at third doubles.
A LOOK AT THE GOLDEN EAGLES: Marquette enters the match with a 2-1 record, including a perfect 2-0 at home...The Golden Eagles are led by Cameron Tehrani, who has a team-high 11 wins (11-8)...Marquette defeated Summit League member 6-1 to open its regular season, and also takes on South Dakota State on Saturday morning before playing Western in the evening...The Golden Eagles fell to Notre Dame, 7-0, and defeated UIC, also 7-0.
WEEK'S BEST: Freshman Bradley Holt is off to a hot start to open his collegiate career...He was named the Summit League Men's Tennis Player of the Week after the opening weekend...Holt currently holds a 5-3 singles record to go along with a 5-1 doubles record.
PRESEASON POLL:
The Leathernecks were tabbed to finish fourth out of six teams in the
Summit League preseason poll...Kansas City is the favorite to win the
league, receiving four first-place votes...Western Illinois was
projected ahead of South Dakota State and Omaha.
ON DECK: Western continues its road swing next weekend, with matches at Iowa on Friday, Creighton on Saturday and Omaha on Sunday.
