RICHMOND, Ky. – In a battle of OVC unbeatens, the Eastern Kentucky University women’s tennis team fought off Jacksonville State Friday in the Greg Adams Tennis Center by a count of 5-2. The Colonels improve to 16-5 overall and 5-0 in the OVC while the Gamecocks fall to 10-5 and 4-1.

Eastern opened play by winning all three doubles matches in convincing fashion. Seniors Alexandra Sitnikova and Svetlana Pimenova returned to the No. 1 doubles position for the first time in almost two months. The duo downed JSU’s Viviane Marani and Rafaila Wenzel, 8-1.

In singles, the Colonels won four of the six contests in straight sets. Sophomore Anouk Faure (No. 5) won her fifth consecutive match in grand fashion as she won both sets without dropping a game. Sitnikova (No. 1), sophomore Myriem Mhirit (No. 3) and freshman Nadja Barz (No. 4) were also victorious.

“I didn’t need to give a speech before the match today,” EKU head coach Rob Oertel said. “We’ve been thinking about this match all year. Jacksonville State is a good tennis team and even better outdoors. We definitely had the advantage playing indoors as you can tell by the scores. It took JSU a long time to get adjusted to the fast play of the courts.”

Eastern Kentucky is right back in action tomorrow, April 4, against UT Martin. The home match is set to begin at 12 p.m.

Eastern Kentucky 5, Jacksonville State 2

Singles
1. Alexandra Sitnikova (EKU) def. Viviane Marani (JSU) 6-0, 7-6
2. Martina Dessbesell (JSU) def. Svetlana Pimenova (EKU) 6-4, 0-6, 6-3
3. Myriem Mhirit (EKU) def. Rafaila Wenzel (JSU) 6-1, 6-4
4. Nadja Barz (EKU) def. Julianna Renesto (JSU) 6-0, 7-6
5. Anouk Faure (EKU) def. Eloah Lopes (JSU) 6-0, 6-0
6. Kristen Fuller (JSU) def. Jemma Euers (EKU) 6-2, 6-2

Doubles
1. Pimenova/Sitnikova (EKU) def. Marani/Wenzel (JSU) 8-1
2. Euers/Faure (EKU) def. Dessbesell/Lopes (JSU) 8-2
3. Barz/Mhirit (EKU) def. Ferris/Fuller (JSU) 8-2

Order of Finish
Doubles: 2, 1, 3
Singles: 4, 3, 1*, 2, 5, 6