RICHMOND, Ky. – The Eastern Kentucky University men’s tennis team picked up its first two wins of the season as the Colonels defeated Southern Illinois (7-0) and Union College (5-1) Saturday evening in the Greg Adams Indoor Tennis Center.

In the afternoon match against Southern Illinois, the Colonels swept the top three singles matches in straight sets before winning each of the bottom three contests in a third set super tie-breaker. Eastern then handled Union College, which is ranked 10th nationally at the NAIA level, by taking four of the six singles matches in straight sets.

Sophomores Niklas Schroeder, Carlos Valdenebro, Parul Verma and Philip Janz each went 2-0 in singles Saturday.

“I liked what I saw from our new doubles combinations today,” EKU head coach Rob Oertel said. “We might tinker with them a little more, but all-in-all it was a good day for the Colonel tennis team.”

Eastern Kentucky (2-1) now has a week to prepare for a pair of top-20 teams in Virginia and Kentucky. Both of those matches will be played on Saturday, Feb. 6 in Lexington.

Eastern Kentucky 7, Southern Illinois 0

Singles
1. Alex Das (EKU) def. Brandon Florez (SIU) 6-2, 6-2
2. Hugo Klientovsky (EKU) def. Mpilo Migogo (SIU) 6-1, 6-3
3. Niklas Schroeder (EKU) def. Lucas Waked (SIU) 6-1, 6-2
4. Carlos Valdenebro (EKU) def. Chikara Kidera (SIU) 3-6, 7-6, (10-5)
5. Parul Verma (EKU) def. Orhan Spahic (SIU) 5-7, 6-3, (10-6)
6. Philip Janz (EKU) def. Falk De Beenhouwer (SIU) 6-3, 2-6, (10-3)

Doubles
1. Klientovsky/Schroeder (EKU) def. Florez/Waked (SIU) 8-5
2. Das/Janz (EKU) def. De Beenhouwer/Migogo (SIU) 8-2
3. Pons/Valdenebro (EKU) def. Kidera/Spahic (SIU) 8-2

Match Notes: Eastern Kentucky (1-1); Southern Illinois (0-1)
Order of Finish: Doubles (2, 3, 1); Singles (2, 1, 3*, 4, 6, 5)

Eastern Kentucky 5, Union College 1

Singles
1. Nicolas Ernst (UC) def. Hugo Klientovsky (EKU) 7-6, 6-3
2. Carlos Valdenebro (EKU) def. Bartos Micher (UC) 6-3, 6-3
3. Parul Verma (EKU) def. Pierre Vernin (UC) 6-2, 4-6, (10-4)
4. Niklas Schroeder (EKU) def. Alvaro Vargas (UC) 6-3, 6-3
5. Philip Janz (EKU) def. Lucas Oliveira (UC) 6-0, 6-0
6. Emilio Piriz (EKU) def. Kyle Shilling (UC) 6-2, 6-1

Doubles
DNP

Match Notes: Eastern Kentucky (2-1); Union College (0-1)
Order of Finish: Singles (5, 2, 4, 1, 6*, 3)