Eastern Michigan Athletics
Sunday, April 19
Ypsilanti, Mich.
1 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
vs
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Western Michigan
Photo by: Steve King/KingStudios
Tennis Welcomes Western for Senior Day Sunday
4/17/2026 11:43:00 AM | Tennis
Eastern set to play its final match of 2025-26 after honoring senior Mendez Carreño
| Spring Dual #22 | vs. WESTERN MICHIGAN | SENIOR DAY | |
| Date | Sunday, April 19 | 1 p.m. |
| Venue | Chippewa Club | Ypsilanti, Mich. |
| Preview Info | EMU Notes | Media Guide |
| Live | Live Scoring |
| @EMUEaglesTennis | @EMUAthletics | |
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -- The Eastern Michigan University tennis team is set to play its final match of the 2025-26 season this weekend when the Eagles play host to the Broncos of Western Michigan University on Senior Day, Sunday, April 19, in a 1 p.m. Mid-American Conference match at the Chippewa Club in Ypsilanti. The Eagles (10-11, 1-6 MAC) and Broncos (12-8, 3-4 MAC) will take the courts following a Senior Day ceremony that will honor Regina Mendez Carreño and her four years of contributions to the Eastern program.
SENIOR SALUTE
Ahead of the match, the program will recognize senior Regina Mendez Carreño for her four years of contributions to the team. Mendez Carreño joined the program ahead of the 2022-23 season and has played singles and doubles each year for the Eagles. Heading into her final match, she has accumulated 47 combined wins, including 32 in singles play and 15 in doubles action. This year, she has won 12 singles matches to tie her career high while her eight wins in doubles play doubled her previous best of four from one year prior.
FIRST SERVES
» The Eagles are 10-11 overall and 1-6 in MAC play after dropping their lone match of the week, a 6-1 decision at Miami (April 12).
» For the second consecutive dual, a freshman captured the lone point for the Eagles in a three-set battle as Pehal Kharadkar won her bout at No. 3 singles, 6-4, 3-6, 7-5, despite trailing, 5-4, in the third set. Her win followed back-to-back three-set wins by Cylova Zuleyka Hukmasabiyya in the 6-1 setbacks to Buffalo and Ball State.
» The Eagles' four freshmen have combined to win 57 of the team's 75 wins this season (76 percent) with Cylova Zuleyka Hukmasabiyya leading the way at 16 victories while Matilde Parreira is just behind her with 15.
» Matilde Parreira recorded the clinching point at No. 5 singles against Toledo (March 22) and was part of the doubles-clinching team with Sabrina Tolstova as well. Parreira has clinched the team's winning point in 4-of-10 victories (40. 0 percent) while she and Tolstova have captured 6-of-9 clinching wins in doubles (66.7). All told, she has had a hand in 52.6 percent of all clinching points this year.
» Regina Mendez Carreño secured wins at No. 3 doubles and No. 6 singles against NIU (March 13) to mark her first career MAC victories in both. She entered the dual 0-6 all-time in MAC singles matches and had not played doubles in a MAC contest before taking on the Huskies.
» Eastern is in its 49th varsity season in 2026 and, following its weekend split, is now 555-478 all-time. The 4-2 win at St. Francis (Pa.), Jan. 24, stands as the 550th victory in program history.
» Under Ryan Kucera, the Eagles have posted a 25-4 record at home, including an 11-0 mark in his debut season (2024), a 10-2 mark last year, and a 4-2 start in 2026. In the six seasons played ahead of Kucera's arrival, the Eagles were 21-30 at home.
» Eastern has been strong in doubles play under Ryan Kucera as they have won 54.5 percent (36-of-66) of the doubles points since the start of the 2024 season. The Eagles were 13-of-23 in 2024 before improving to 14-of-22 last year and have won 9-of-20 this year.
» In the three seasons Ryan Kucera has led the program, Eastern holds a record of 29-7 when it wins the doubles point and has won 11 consecutive matches when securing the point. Conversely, EMU is 5-25 when it does not win the point, including its 4-3 win at home over Bradley, Feb. 20.
» Ryan Kucera returns for his third season as the head coach and will look to guide the team to the MAC Tournament for the second time. He has guided the team to back-to-back 12-win seasons for the first time since the 2002-03 and 2003-04 seasons when Tim Gray led the team to consecutive 16-win campaigns.
» Ryan Kucera ranks sixth all-time in wins by a head coach in program history with 34. The wins at DePaul (No. 31) and Butler (No. 32) pushed him ahead of Allison Tookes, who had 31 from 1991-95.
LAST TIME OUT: EASTERN FALLS AT MIAMI
EMU dropped a 6-1 decision at Miami, April 12, as it fell to a MAC opponent by a 6-1 score for the third consecutive match. Pehal Kharadkar won the only point in the match for the Eagles as she came from behind to win a three-set battle at No. 3 singles, 6-4, 3-6, 7-5, after trailing, 5-4, in the third.
GOING THE DISTANCE
Cylova Zuleyka Hukmasabiyya has played well at the top singles spot this year, especially in league action where she is 5-2 overall. She has played three consecutive matches that have gone to three sets and stands 3-4 overall in matches going the distance, including a 2-2 mark against MAC opponents. Her loss at Miami marked the first time this year she gone to three sets after losing the first set and not being able to complete the comeback, holding a 2-1 record in those matches.
PLAYING ANOTHER SET
As a team, the Eagles are 21-24 in three-set matches this season, including 7-8 in MAC contests, following the dual with Miami that saw four singles matches go to a third set. When winning the first set, Eastern is 12-14, including a 4-4 mark in MAC matches, while sitting 9-10 overall and 3-3 in the MAC when dropping the first set. Sabrina Tolstova has played the most three-set matches of any Eagle this year with 10 (5-5) while the six players that have played a three-set match this year have won at least twice while five of the six have captured at least one three-set victory over a MAC opponent.
ROOKIES ROCKING
The four freshmen added to the roster this year have made immediate impacts for the Eagles as they lead the team in singles wins and combined wins through the match played at Miami (April 12). Cylova Zuleyka Hukmasabiyya leads the way with 16 singles wins while Matilde Parreira leads in combined wins (28) while sitting tied for the lead in doubles victories with playing partner Sabrina Tolstova (13). Tolstova has also reached 26 combined wins in her rookie season as she has added 13 singles wins. Pehal Kharadkar has added 13 singles wins as well. All told, the four rookies have combined to win 57 of the team's 75 singles wins this year (76 percent of the wins).
WHEN TWO IS ONE
Through the match with Miami (April 12), the Eagles have captured the doubles point nine times this year with the team of Matilde Parreira and Sabrina Tolstova adding the point-clinching win six times, including most recently against the Rockets with their 6-4 decision at the No. 2 spot. The freshmen duo has clinched the point five times from the No. 2 position while adding one at the No. 1 spot.
BRINGING IN THE CLOSER?
Following her clinching point at No. 5 singles against Toledo (March 22), Matilde Parreira has been a closer of late for the Eagles as she clinched the deciding point four times in the Eagles' 10 victories in 2026 (40.0 percent). Adding in the six doubles points clinched with playing partner Sabrina Tolstova, Parreira has had a hand in 10 of the 19 clinching points (6-of-9 doubles points and 4-of-10 team dual points) this season, equating to 52.6 percent.
A FIRST FOR EVERYTHING
Ahead of the match with Northern Illinois (March 13), Regina Mendez Carreño had not won a MAC match in her career as she stood 0-6 in singles and had not competed in doubles. The senior played both singles and doubles against the Huskies where she secured her first wins in both. In doubles, she paired with Iva Daneva to grab a 6-2 victory at No. 3 before she secured a 6-3, 6-2 win at No. 6 singles. Mendez Carreño has secured 46 combined wins in her career, leaving her four away from reaching 50.
STRAIGHT TO THE (DOUBLES) POINT
Eastern has captured the doubles point in 9-of-21 matches (42.9 percent) played this season and has secured the point in 53.7 percent of matches played under Ryan Kucera (36-of-67) since the start of the 2024 season. Ahead of his arrival, the Eagles captured the point just four times (26.7 percent) in the 2022-23 season before winning the point 56.5 percent in 2024 (13-of-23) and 60.9 percent last year (14-of-23).
DOUBLES TALES
Since Ryan Kucera took over ahead of the 2023-24 season, doubles have been a key component to the team's success. In the 65 matches played, the Eagles have won the doubles point 36 times (55.4 percent) which has translated into a 29-7 record in the team match and wins in 11 consecutive team duals when winning the doubles point. Conversely, the Eagles are 5-25 when they don't win the doubles point, including the 4-3 win over Bradley at home, Feb. 20.
KNOW THE FOE: WESTERN MICHIGAN
The Broncos hold a record of 12-8 overall and 3-4 in MAC play following back-to-back losses to the co-leaders of the conference, 6-1 at home to UMass (April 10) and 4-3 on the road at Buffalo (April 12). Western Michigan is 4-5 when playing on the road this year with its last two matches ending in 4-3 losses after facing Toledo (March 27) and Buffalo.
IN THE SERIES: WESTERN MICHIGAN
The Broncos lead the series, 46-17, with the two teams trading wins in the last eight matches, including the Eagles' 4-3 home win, March 28, 2025. Western Michigan holds a 19-10 advantage when the match is played in Ypsilanti despite Eastern winning the past two meetings, including a 5-2 decision in 2024 to accompany last year's one-point victory. The two sides have played close contests recently as 11 of the past 17 matches have been decided by one point, including both matches played last year.
MOST PLAYED
The Eagles' series with the Broncos is the most played in the EMU's 49-year history (1976-77) as this week's meeting will mark the 64th all-time, eight more than the next. The series with Bowling Green is next on the list with the 56th meeting played earlier this year while the 52 matches with both Ball State and Miami tied for third. The 51 matches with Toledo are the only other series to surpass 50 with the 49 played against Michigan State just outside the top five in sixth on the list.
MITTEN MATCHES
Eastern's 2026 schedule featured five matches against fellow Michigan schools with the Eagles standing 3-1 on the year after sweeping a road doubleheader at Ferris State (Jan. 19) before downing Oakland (Jan. 31), 4-3, and falling at Michigan State (Feb. 1), 4-0. Heading into the match with Western Michigan, Eastern stands 106-115 all-time against intrastate schools and holds records of 39-24 in matches ending in a sweep and 19-22 in matches decided by one point.
THE LAST TIME VS. WESTERN MICHIGAN
Eastern won the most recent meeting, 4-3, when the two teams met in Ypsilanti, March 28, 2025. The Eagles opened the match with a 1-0 lead after claiming the doubles point with wins at No. 1 (6-0) and No. 2 (6-3). In singles, Eastern was victorious in the first three matches completed with wins at No. 4 by Sabina Brichackova, No. 2 by Daniella Shved, and No. 6 by Marta Komar, to grab a 4-0 lead and clinch the team victory. From there, the Broncos captured wins in the final three matches as all three went to three sets.
IN HOME FINALES
Eastern is 25-23 all-time in its final home match of the season and has won two consecutive closers, including back-to-back 5-2 decisions over Western Michigan in 2024 and Bowling Green last year. The Eagles are 3-5 when their home finale comes against the Broncos with back-to-back wins (4-3 in 2022 and 5-2 in 2024) snapping a five-match skid in such matches. Additionally, Eastern is 4-6 in its final home match of the season when playing a fellow Michigan school with the only finales not against WMU coming in 1976 against Grand Valley (W, 9-0) and in 1978 against Michigan State (L, 7-2).
ROAD WINS
The loss at Michigan State (Feb. 1) also was the first of the year on the road for EMU, which halted their four-match winning streak away from home. The 4-0 start tied for the third-best road showing in program history with only the 2002-03 and 1983-84 teams starting better as both opened at 6-0. Eastern finished 6-8 on the road in 2025-26.
HOME PROTECTION
Since taking over the program ahead of the 2023-24 season, the Eagles hold a 25-4 record at home under Ryan Kucera, a mark that included the Eagles going a perfect 11-0 at home in 2024, 10-2 last year, and 4-2 in 2026. In the previous six seasons played ahead of Kucera's arrival, the Eagles were 21-30, including a 3-4 mark in the 2022-23 season. The win totals also rank as the highest (11) and second-highest (10) in single-season history for the program.
ON THE HORIZON
The 2025-26 season has come to an end for the Eagles.
FOLLOW US
For all things EMU Tennis, be sure to check out the team's social media accounts, including EMUEaglesTennis on X (formerly Twitter) and EMU_Tennis on Instagram.
SENIOR SALUTE
Ahead of the match, the program will recognize senior Regina Mendez Carreño for her four years of contributions to the team. Mendez Carreño joined the program ahead of the 2022-23 season and has played singles and doubles each year for the Eagles. Heading into her final match, she has accumulated 47 combined wins, including 32 in singles play and 15 in doubles action. This year, she has won 12 singles matches to tie her career high while her eight wins in doubles play doubled her previous best of four from one year prior.
FIRST SERVES
» The Eagles are 10-11 overall and 1-6 in MAC play after dropping their lone match of the week, a 6-1 decision at Miami (April 12).
» For the second consecutive dual, a freshman captured the lone point for the Eagles in a three-set battle as Pehal Kharadkar won her bout at No. 3 singles, 6-4, 3-6, 7-5, despite trailing, 5-4, in the third set. Her win followed back-to-back three-set wins by Cylova Zuleyka Hukmasabiyya in the 6-1 setbacks to Buffalo and Ball State.
» The Eagles' four freshmen have combined to win 57 of the team's 75 wins this season (76 percent) with Cylova Zuleyka Hukmasabiyya leading the way at 16 victories while Matilde Parreira is just behind her with 15.
» Matilde Parreira recorded the clinching point at No. 5 singles against Toledo (March 22) and was part of the doubles-clinching team with Sabrina Tolstova as well. Parreira has clinched the team's winning point in 4-of-10 victories (40. 0 percent) while she and Tolstova have captured 6-of-9 clinching wins in doubles (66.7). All told, she has had a hand in 52.6 percent of all clinching points this year.
» Regina Mendez Carreño secured wins at No. 3 doubles and No. 6 singles against NIU (March 13) to mark her first career MAC victories in both. She entered the dual 0-6 all-time in MAC singles matches and had not played doubles in a MAC contest before taking on the Huskies.
» Eastern is in its 49th varsity season in 2026 and, following its weekend split, is now 555-478 all-time. The 4-2 win at St. Francis (Pa.), Jan. 24, stands as the 550th victory in program history.
» Under Ryan Kucera, the Eagles have posted a 25-4 record at home, including an 11-0 mark in his debut season (2024), a 10-2 mark last year, and a 4-2 start in 2026. In the six seasons played ahead of Kucera's arrival, the Eagles were 21-30 at home.
» Eastern has been strong in doubles play under Ryan Kucera as they have won 54.5 percent (36-of-66) of the doubles points since the start of the 2024 season. The Eagles were 13-of-23 in 2024 before improving to 14-of-22 last year and have won 9-of-20 this year.
» In the three seasons Ryan Kucera has led the program, Eastern holds a record of 29-7 when it wins the doubles point and has won 11 consecutive matches when securing the point. Conversely, EMU is 5-25 when it does not win the point, including its 4-3 win at home over Bradley, Feb. 20.
» Ryan Kucera returns for his third season as the head coach and will look to guide the team to the MAC Tournament for the second time. He has guided the team to back-to-back 12-win seasons for the first time since the 2002-03 and 2003-04 seasons when Tim Gray led the team to consecutive 16-win campaigns.
» Ryan Kucera ranks sixth all-time in wins by a head coach in program history with 34. The wins at DePaul (No. 31) and Butler (No. 32) pushed him ahead of Allison Tookes, who had 31 from 1991-95.
LAST TIME OUT: EASTERN FALLS AT MIAMI
EMU dropped a 6-1 decision at Miami, April 12, as it fell to a MAC opponent by a 6-1 score for the third consecutive match. Pehal Kharadkar won the only point in the match for the Eagles as she came from behind to win a three-set battle at No. 3 singles, 6-4, 3-6, 7-5, after trailing, 5-4, in the third.
GOING THE DISTANCE
Cylova Zuleyka Hukmasabiyya has played well at the top singles spot this year, especially in league action where she is 5-2 overall. She has played three consecutive matches that have gone to three sets and stands 3-4 overall in matches going the distance, including a 2-2 mark against MAC opponents. Her loss at Miami marked the first time this year she gone to three sets after losing the first set and not being able to complete the comeback, holding a 2-1 record in those matches.
PLAYING ANOTHER SET
As a team, the Eagles are 21-24 in three-set matches this season, including 7-8 in MAC contests, following the dual with Miami that saw four singles matches go to a third set. When winning the first set, Eastern is 12-14, including a 4-4 mark in MAC matches, while sitting 9-10 overall and 3-3 in the MAC when dropping the first set. Sabrina Tolstova has played the most three-set matches of any Eagle this year with 10 (5-5) while the six players that have played a three-set match this year have won at least twice while five of the six have captured at least one three-set victory over a MAC opponent.
ROOKIES ROCKING
The four freshmen added to the roster this year have made immediate impacts for the Eagles as they lead the team in singles wins and combined wins through the match played at Miami (April 12). Cylova Zuleyka Hukmasabiyya leads the way with 16 singles wins while Matilde Parreira leads in combined wins (28) while sitting tied for the lead in doubles victories with playing partner Sabrina Tolstova (13). Tolstova has also reached 26 combined wins in her rookie season as she has added 13 singles wins. Pehal Kharadkar has added 13 singles wins as well. All told, the four rookies have combined to win 57 of the team's 75 singles wins this year (76 percent of the wins).
WHEN TWO IS ONE
Through the match with Miami (April 12), the Eagles have captured the doubles point nine times this year with the team of Matilde Parreira and Sabrina Tolstova adding the point-clinching win six times, including most recently against the Rockets with their 6-4 decision at the No. 2 spot. The freshmen duo has clinched the point five times from the No. 2 position while adding one at the No. 1 spot.
BRINGING IN THE CLOSER?
Following her clinching point at No. 5 singles against Toledo (March 22), Matilde Parreira has been a closer of late for the Eagles as she clinched the deciding point four times in the Eagles' 10 victories in 2026 (40.0 percent). Adding in the six doubles points clinched with playing partner Sabrina Tolstova, Parreira has had a hand in 10 of the 19 clinching points (6-of-9 doubles points and 4-of-10 team dual points) this season, equating to 52.6 percent.
A FIRST FOR EVERYTHING
Ahead of the match with Northern Illinois (March 13), Regina Mendez Carreño had not won a MAC match in her career as she stood 0-6 in singles and had not competed in doubles. The senior played both singles and doubles against the Huskies where she secured her first wins in both. In doubles, she paired with Iva Daneva to grab a 6-2 victory at No. 3 before she secured a 6-3, 6-2 win at No. 6 singles. Mendez Carreño has secured 46 combined wins in her career, leaving her four away from reaching 50.
STRAIGHT TO THE (DOUBLES) POINT
Eastern has captured the doubles point in 9-of-21 matches (42.9 percent) played this season and has secured the point in 53.7 percent of matches played under Ryan Kucera (36-of-67) since the start of the 2024 season. Ahead of his arrival, the Eagles captured the point just four times (26.7 percent) in the 2022-23 season before winning the point 56.5 percent in 2024 (13-of-23) and 60.9 percent last year (14-of-23).
DOUBLES TALES
Since Ryan Kucera took over ahead of the 2023-24 season, doubles have been a key component to the team's success. In the 65 matches played, the Eagles have won the doubles point 36 times (55.4 percent) which has translated into a 29-7 record in the team match and wins in 11 consecutive team duals when winning the doubles point. Conversely, the Eagles are 5-25 when they don't win the doubles point, including the 4-3 win over Bradley at home, Feb. 20.
KNOW THE FOE: WESTERN MICHIGAN
The Broncos hold a record of 12-8 overall and 3-4 in MAC play following back-to-back losses to the co-leaders of the conference, 6-1 at home to UMass (April 10) and 4-3 on the road at Buffalo (April 12). Western Michigan is 4-5 when playing on the road this year with its last two matches ending in 4-3 losses after facing Toledo (March 27) and Buffalo.
IN THE SERIES: WESTERN MICHIGAN
The Broncos lead the series, 46-17, with the two teams trading wins in the last eight matches, including the Eagles' 4-3 home win, March 28, 2025. Western Michigan holds a 19-10 advantage when the match is played in Ypsilanti despite Eastern winning the past two meetings, including a 5-2 decision in 2024 to accompany last year's one-point victory. The two sides have played close contests recently as 11 of the past 17 matches have been decided by one point, including both matches played last year.
MOST PLAYED
The Eagles' series with the Broncos is the most played in the EMU's 49-year history (1976-77) as this week's meeting will mark the 64th all-time, eight more than the next. The series with Bowling Green is next on the list with the 56th meeting played earlier this year while the 52 matches with both Ball State and Miami tied for third. The 51 matches with Toledo are the only other series to surpass 50 with the 49 played against Michigan State just outside the top five in sixth on the list.
MITTEN MATCHES
Eastern's 2026 schedule featured five matches against fellow Michigan schools with the Eagles standing 3-1 on the year after sweeping a road doubleheader at Ferris State (Jan. 19) before downing Oakland (Jan. 31), 4-3, and falling at Michigan State (Feb. 1), 4-0. Heading into the match with Western Michigan, Eastern stands 106-115 all-time against intrastate schools and holds records of 39-24 in matches ending in a sweep and 19-22 in matches decided by one point.
THE LAST TIME VS. WESTERN MICHIGAN
Eastern won the most recent meeting, 4-3, when the two teams met in Ypsilanti, March 28, 2025. The Eagles opened the match with a 1-0 lead after claiming the doubles point with wins at No. 1 (6-0) and No. 2 (6-3). In singles, Eastern was victorious in the first three matches completed with wins at No. 4 by Sabina Brichackova, No. 2 by Daniella Shved, and No. 6 by Marta Komar, to grab a 4-0 lead and clinch the team victory. From there, the Broncos captured wins in the final three matches as all three went to three sets.
IN HOME FINALES
Eastern is 25-23 all-time in its final home match of the season and has won two consecutive closers, including back-to-back 5-2 decisions over Western Michigan in 2024 and Bowling Green last year. The Eagles are 3-5 when their home finale comes against the Broncos with back-to-back wins (4-3 in 2022 and 5-2 in 2024) snapping a five-match skid in such matches. Additionally, Eastern is 4-6 in its final home match of the season when playing a fellow Michigan school with the only finales not against WMU coming in 1976 against Grand Valley (W, 9-0) and in 1978 against Michigan State (L, 7-2).
ROAD WINS
The loss at Michigan State (Feb. 1) also was the first of the year on the road for EMU, which halted their four-match winning streak away from home. The 4-0 start tied for the third-best road showing in program history with only the 2002-03 and 1983-84 teams starting better as both opened at 6-0. Eastern finished 6-8 on the road in 2025-26.
HOME PROTECTION
Since taking over the program ahead of the 2023-24 season, the Eagles hold a 25-4 record at home under Ryan Kucera, a mark that included the Eagles going a perfect 11-0 at home in 2024, 10-2 last year, and 4-2 in 2026. In the previous six seasons played ahead of Kucera's arrival, the Eagles were 21-30, including a 3-4 mark in the 2022-23 season. The win totals also rank as the highest (11) and second-highest (10) in single-season history for the program.
ON THE HORIZON
The 2025-26 season has come to an end for the Eagles.
FOLLOW US
For all things EMU Tennis, be sure to check out the team's social media accounts, including EMUEaglesTennis on X (formerly Twitter) and EMU_Tennis on Instagram.
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