Young IVCC men’s tennis team hopes to place top 3 in region

The Illinois Valley Community College men’s tennis team has a completely new look this season with a roster made up entirely of freshmen.

Eight of the nine players on the team are local with three players from La Salle-Peru in Colin Krug, Brodie Moss and Michael Peters, three from Ottawa in Alan Sifuentes, Sebastian Cabrera and Cory Armstrong and a pair from Princeton in Tyson Phillips and Michael Ellis.

Jakob Stumm, who is from Germany, rounds out the roster.

“We have been working hard on the basics and trying to strengthen weak areas so we have a better overall game,” IVCC coach Julie Milota said. “[We need to work on] consistency. We also need to take our time between points and problem solve between points. We have to recognize a great shot from just a good or fair shot and take advantage when we have good shots. We are working on that in every practice.”

Phillips, a three-time state qualifier for the Tigers, will play No. 1 singles for the Eagles and will pair with Sifuentes at No. 1 doubles. Sifuentes was a state qualifier in doubles as a senior at Ottawa.

Fellow Princeton alumnus Ellis will fill the No. 2 singles spot and will play with Krug at No. 2 doubles.

Krug and Cabrera are in the mix for No. 3 and No. 4 singles, while Sifuentes, Armstrong, Moss and Stumm are competing for the Nos. 5-7 singles positions.

The No. 3 doubles team is up in the air, Milota said.

“These guys want to end up top three in our region,” Milota said. “If we can make our singles games solid and our doubles teams stay aggressive and get our lineup dialed in, we should be able to make it.

“It will be tough, but this group can definitely do it.”

The Eagles open the season Saturday with a triangular at Illinois College.