RICHMOND, Ky. – Senior Anais Hamel won the deciding match at No. 5 singles as the Eastern Kentucky University women’s tennis team edged Southern Illinois Saturday afternoon in the Greg Adams Indoor Tennis Center, 4-3. With the win, the Colonels move to 1-3 while the Salukis fall to 0-2.

Southern Illinois opened the match by winning the doubles point, but EKU responded by taking four of the six singles matches to claim the team victory. Junior Myriem Mhirit (No. 2), junior Anouk Faure (No. 3) and sophomore Alyze Pagal (No. 4) all won their matches in straight sets to level the team score at 3-all.

Hamel then defeated SIU’s Jessica Flannery in a three-set match, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 to clinch the Eastern victory.

“We were able to pull out this match with our competitive spirit and heart,” EKU head coach Rob Oertel said. “I’m not so sure Southern Illinois wasn’t the more talented team, but this was a great win for our team.”

Eastern Kentucky is back in action next Saturday, Feb. 6, with a home match against Akron.

Eastern Kentucky 4, Southern Illinois 3

Singles
1. Melanie Delsart (SIU) def. Jessica Albuquerque (EKU) 6-2, 6-1
2. Myriem Mhirit (EKU) def. Vishakha Sheoran (SIU) 7-6, 7-6
3. Anouk Faure (EKU) def. Emily Whitney (SIU) 6-3, 6-1
4. Alyze Pagal (EKU) def. Anastacia Simons (SIU) 7-5, 6-4
5. Anais Hamel (EKU) def. Jessica Flannery (SIU) 6-3, 4-6, 6-3
6. Martina Ce (SIU) def. Catarina Branco (EKU) 7-6, 6-1

Doubles
1. Albuquerque/Faure (EKU) def. Sheoran/Simons (SIU) 8-6
2. Ce/Delsart (SIU) def. Hamel/Mhirit (EKU) 8-2
3. Dien/Flannery (SIU) def. Branco/Pagal (EKU) 8-1

Match Notes: Eastern Kentucky (1-3); Southern Illinois (0-2)
Order of Finish: Doubles (3, 2, 1); Singles (1, 3, 4, 2, 6, 5*)