McLean County Times

Illinois State University's men's tennis team, known as the Redbirds, is preparing for a pair of home matches this weekend. They will host the Denver Pioneers on March 28 and the St. Louis University Billikens on March 29, with the fixtures set to take place inside the Evergreen Racquet Club.

Recently, the Redbirds secured a victory against the Drake Bulldogs. They emerged victorious with a score of 4-3 at the Roger Knapp Tennis Center. In doubles, the Redbirds swept the matches, including a win by Tomas Valencia and Adrian Dibildox at No. 1 and two additional victories from Caden Scarlett and Tin Ostro, as well as Christian Capacci and Manuel Pavia. In singles, Valencia, Capacci, and Scarlett each contributed to the Redbirds' overall win with their individual victories.

The Denver Pioneers, who recently defeated Idaho State convincingly 6-1, will be a formidable opponent. Connor Robb-Wilcox and Rikuto Yamaguchi led from the front in their doubles match, while Daniel Sancho Arbizu clinched victory in singles. Denver was the 2024 Summit League Champions after an undefeated campaign.

The Billikens of St. Louis University face a challenging season with a record of 1-8. They recently lost to Butler University 4-0, following their last win against Oral Roberts on January 30. In that victory, Luca Lo Nardo and Andres Castellanos won their doubles match decisively.

Looking ahead, the Redbirds will travel to compete against the North Dakota Fighting Hawks on April 5 in Grand Forks. Matches will be held at the Choice Health and Fitness Facility.

Illinois State updates and additional details can be found on their website and through their social media channels. The GoRedbirds.com platform offers information on the team's fixtures, tickets, and fan resources.