Marshall University Athletics
Herd Tennis Set For Battle with Rival Eastern Michigan
3/31/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
Herd Tennis Set For Battle with Rival Eastern Michigan
3/31/2005
Senior Ashley Kroh and the team practiced Wednesday afternoon at the Chippewa Racquet Club in Ypsilanti, Mich. Photo by Matt Riley |
YPSILANTI, Mich. ? If ever there was a Mid-American Conference tennis matchup that had a championship feel during the regular season, Saturday?s matchup pitting the Thundering Herd visiting the Eastern Michigan Eagles would be it considering the history the two programs have developed in recent years.
For the past four years, the Eagles and Thundering Herd have met in the MAC Tournament finals. Eastern Michigan took home the 2001 tournament crown, while the Herd has brought the past three titles back to Huntington.
Friday at 1 p.m. in Ypsilanti, Mich., the two MAC powers will square off again as the Eagles and Herd fight to stay at the top of the league chase heading toward the tournament in late April.
Marshall enters the match, 8-7 overall on the year and 1-1 in the MAC, while the Eagles are 3-7, 1-0. The Herd is ranked No. 70 in the latest ITA poll.
The Herd is 7-4 since joining the MAC in 1998 against the Eagles with a lot of recent success after winning the last five meetings.
Also on this road swing, Marshall will head south of Ypsilanti to face the Rockets of Toledo for another MAC match on Saturday at 1 p.m. The Herd is a perfect 10-0 against the Rockets since joining the MAC. Toledo is 8-6 on the year, 1-1 in the MAC.
Marshall head coach John Mercer will be going for win No. 50 in the match against Eastern Michigan and the Herd will look to add on to a new winning streak after having its 34-match MAC winning streak snapped last weekend at Western Michigan.
