The Illinois Springfield men's tennis team returns to action on Friday, traveling to Normal for an 11:00 a.m. exhibition match against Illinois State.

Illinois Springfield
UIS comes out of its midseason break having won two of its last three matches. The Prairie Stars opened that stretch with a 6-1 road win over Evangel, followed by another 6-1 victory at home against Roosevelt. Most recently, UIS dropped a 5-2 decision to Purdue Northwest.

The Prairie Stars lineup has shown strong consistency, with several players winning at least two of their last three matches during that stretch. The exhibition provides an opportunity to build momentum heading into the second half of the season.

Illinois State
Illinois State enters the matchup looking to snap a five-match losing streak. The Redbirds' last victory came in mid-February, a 4-3 win over Wagner.

Individually, Illinois State features talent throughout the lineup. Manuel Pavia has been one of the team's top singles players, posting a 5-7 record with notable wins against UIC, Northern Illinois University, and Saint Louis University opponents. Senior Tin Ostro also enters the match as a key contributor, having recently put together a three-match winning streak before a loss to a nationally ranked opponent from UC Davis.

Friday's exhibition will give both teams a chance to fine-tune their lineups in a competitive setting as they prepare for upcoming conference play.