The UIS men's tennis team (5-5) had its two-match win streak snapped with a 5-2 loss to #48 Purdue Northwest (6-3) on Friday at the Springfield Racquet & Fitness Center. It was the second win for the Pride over the Stars as the two teams met in October in Hammond with Purdue Northwest winning that contest, 4-3.
 
In doubles action, UIS won on court three when Lukas Pieringer and Antonio Ayerbe Streubel picked up a 6-2 win. Purdue Northwest won at #1 and #2 doubles to take the doubles point.
 
In singles play, UIS senior Pablo Herrera won at #1 singles, capturing the first set, 6-2 and was up 1-0 in the second set when Samuel Dickson retired. The other UIS win came in a three-set battle at #4 singles. Junior Lin En Tan defeated Raphael Valente, 7-6 (7-0), 5-7, 10-6.
 
Herrera and En Tan also played well in doubles, teamed up at #1, losing a tight 7-5 contest.
 
Junior Kai Van-Roon pushed his singles match to three sets, dropping the contest at #3 singles, 7-6 (7-3), 4-6, 4-6.
 
"This was a really close match for the men's program," said head coach Henrique Leal. "We have been rapidly improving and are having a good season. We had won four of five matches coming into this contest. It was a great test for us to play the #48 team in the country. After we split the #2 and #3 doubles, the battle at #1 doubles was outstanding, but it ended up not going our way. Our men kept fighting as #1 Pablo Herrera quickly tied the match at 1-1. Number 3 and #4 singles when three sets, with Lin En Tan coming up with the win at #4. This match could have gone either way and shows how close we are to teams of that caliber."
 
The Prairie Stars return to action on Sunday, March 22 with an exhibition contest at Illinois State. The following Sunday, March 29, UIS hosts GLVC member Rockhurst in a non-conference match at the Springfield Racquet & Fitness Center. The Hawks were the GLVC runners-up in the 2025 championships hosted by UIS.
 
Purdue Northwest 5, UIS 2
Doubles
#1 – Daniel Chicano I Melero/Samuel Dickson (PNW) d. Pablo Herrera/Lin En Tan (UIS), 7-5
#2 – Pedro Diez/Joao Martins (PNW) d. Kai Van-Roon/Miran Todorovic (UIS), 6-1
#3 – Lukas Pieringer/Antonio Ayerbe Streubel (UIS) d. Daniel Sroka/Raphael Valente (PNW), 6-2
 
Singles
#1 – Herrera (UIS) d. Dickson (PNW), 6-2, 1-0 (retired)
#2 – Chicano I Melero (PNW) d. Ayerbe Streubel (UIS), 6-1, 6-3
#3 – Martins (PNW) d. Van-Roon (UIS), 7-6 (7-3), 4-6, 4-6
#4 – En Tan (UIS) d. Valente (PWN), 7-6 (7-0), 5-7, 10-6
#5 – Diez (PWN) d. Luke Pennington (UIS), 6-4, 6-2
#6 – Sroka (PNW) d. Toderovic (UIS), 6-1, 6-2