NORMAL, Ill. – Coming off a road win against Marquette on Sunday, Illinois State returns home on Wednesday to host Ball State at the Evergreen Racquet Club with first serve set for noon.
"Tomorrow will be a big test for us to see where we stand at this point of the spring," ISU head coach Mark Klysner said. "I would think they are possible favorites to win the MAC, so I know it's going to be a battle for sure. Last time out, we beat them 4-3 so I expect a similar fight tomorrow."
With the win against Marquette, the Redbirds split their weekend matches last weekend in Milwaukee.Illinois State took the early doubles point, thanks to solid wins at No. 2 and No. 3. The team of Melker Isaksson and Diego Le Gal Perez took down the No. 2 team of Marquette by a score of 6-3, and the No. 3 team of Ming-Chieh Chiu and Nam Pham also won 6-3 over Marquette's Ian Brady and Will Tennison to take the early lead.
In singles action, the Redbirds won all but one match to come away with the 6-1 victory on the road. Pol Botifoll Rius, Isaksson, Le Gal Perez and Diego Emilio Moura Herrera each won in straight sets, and Hjalte capped off the day with a three-set victory at No. 6 over Shaddy Khalafallah by a score of 6-0, 3-6, 7-5.
Ball State (5-3) will play its seventh-straight road match on Wednesday when it takes on Illinois State. The Cardinals are coming off a 6-1 win against IUPUI on Sunday in Indianapolis. BSU took the doubles point from the Jaguars, earning 6-4 victories on courts one and two, and then won five of six singles matches to run away with the victory.
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