YPSILANTI, Mich. — The Eastern Michigan University women’s tennis team returns to the Chippewa Club this Friday, , for its first home match in three weeks, hosting Bradley University at 1 p.m. The Eagles (8-3) are off to one of their best starts in program history and aim to continue their momentum following a successful road trip.
Road Swing Success
Eastern Michigan concluded a five-match road stretch with victories at DePaul (4-3) on and Butler (5-2) on , halting a three-match skid. The team’s current record is tied for the fourth-best start in program history.
Doubles Dominance
A key factor in the Eagles’ recent success has been their performance in doubles play. Matilde Parreira and Sabrina Tolstova have been particularly strong, clinching the doubles point in both matches against DePaul and Butler at the No. 2 position. Their consistent performance earned them the Mid-American Conference (MAC) Doubles Team of the Week honors. The duo has secured the opening point for the team a total of three times this season.
Program History and Home Court Advantage
This season marks the 49th varsity season for Eastern Michigan tennis, with an all-time record of 553-470. Under head coach Ryan Kucera, the Eagles have been particularly dominant at home, boasting a 23-2 record. Kucera’s arrival has seen a significant shift in home court performance, a stark contrast to the 21-30 record in the six seasons prior to his tenure. The Eagles have won 61.4 percent of doubles points since the start of the 2024 season.
Rookie Impact
Eastern Michigan’s four freshmen – Matilde Parreira, Sabrina Tolstova, Pehal Kharadkar, and Cylova Zuleyka Hukmasabiyya – have made an immediate impact. Parreira leads the team in overall wins (12) and combined wins (23), while Tolstova is tied for the lead in doubles victories (11) and has nine singles wins. Kharadkar and Hukmasabiyya have also contributed significantly, each securing 10 singles wins.
Looking Ahead: Bradley University
Bradley University, a member of the Missouri Valley Conference, enters the match with a 2-4 record. The Braves have struggled in close matches, with four of their six contests decided by a single point. They lost a 4-3 decision to Butler, the same team Eastern defeated 5-2 last week. This shared opponent provides a point of comparison, though the Eagles’ decisive victory suggests a potential advantage.
Series History
Eastern Michigan leads the all-time series against Bradley 5-1, but the Braves won the most recent meeting, 4-1, on , in Peoria, Illinois. The Eagles’ last victory came on , a 6-3 win in Ypsilanti, marking the only previous meeting held at the Chippewa Club. The series began in 1982 with a 6-0 EMU win.
Coaching and Team Composition
Ryan Kucera is in his third season as head coach, having guided the team to back-to-back 12-win seasons. He currently ranks sixth all-time in wins by a head coach in program history with 32. The 2025-26 roster features a diverse group of players from eight countries and four continents, including Argentina, India, Indonesia, Mexico, North Macedonia, Portugal, Russia, and Ukraine.
Recent Accolades
The MAC Doubles Team of the Week award for Parreira and Tolstova recognizes their crucial role in the Eagles’ recent success. They secured wins at No. 2 doubles in both matches, clinching the vital doubles point each time. Tolstova also contributed a clinching singles victory at DePaul, while Parreira secured the winning point at Butler.
On the Horizon
Following the match against Bradley, Eastern Michigan will embark on its annual Spring Break trip to Florida, facing Stetson University on and the University of North Florida on . These matches will conclude the Eagles’ non-conference schedule.
