Coming off three consecutive losing seasons, the Panther tennis team has started out strong with a quick 2-1 record to open up the 2019 season.

On Sunday, Feb. 3, the purple and gold hosted the Cougars of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville in a match that the Panthers took 4-3, extending their win streak to two games early on in the season.

The doubles team of Reghan Lynch and Claudia Toledo notched their second straight victory winning 6-2.

The second doubles team for UNI fell to the Cougars 7-5, but the third doubles team of two true freshmen, Daisy Phillips and Olivia Fain, gained redemption in doubles competition by taking down SIUE in a close match, 7-6.

UNI and SIUE split the singles competition as both sides grabbed three wins and three losses.

For the Panthers, freshman Daisy Phillips shut out her competition in the first set, notching her third straight victory this year at the number four spot, winning 6-0 and 6-2.

Other winners for the Panthers were junior Reghan Lynch taking down her opponent 6-3 in both sets, capturing her second victory in singles at the number one spot, and freshman Caro Valentina rounding out the Panther’s singles wins by eliminating her opponent 6-2 and 6-4 for her second win on the season.

The Panthers will travel to Minneapolis, Minn. this Friday, Feb. 8, to take on the Minnesota Golden Gophers before returning home on Sunday to host Gustavus Adolphus.