RICHMOND, Ky. – Thanks to victories from its top five singles players, the Eastern Kentucky University women’s tennis team kept its perfect OVC record intact with a 5-2 decision over Eastern Illinois. EKU is now 9-11 overall and 4-0 in the OVC.

After dropping the doubles point to Eastern Illinois, the host Colonels responded by winning the top five singles matches in straight sets. Sophomore Alyze Pagal (No. 4) clinched the team victory with a 6-3, 6-4 win over EIU’s Merritt Whitley.

“I think our team is playing with a lot of confidence right now and it shows in our results as we have won four of our last five matches,” EKU head coach Rob Oertel said.

Eastern Kentucky will play its third match in three days tomorrow, March 28 against Tennessee Tech. Match time is set for 10 a.m.

Eastern Kentucky 5, Eastern Illinois 2

Singles
1. Myriem Mhirit (EKU) def. Cara Huck (EIU) 6-1, 6-4
2. Jessica Albuquerque (EKU) def. Amanda Dibbs (EIU) 6-2, 6-4
3. Anouk Faure (EKU) def. Shannon Brooks (EIU) 6-0, 6-2
4. Alyze Pagal (EKU) def. Merritt Whitley (EIU) 6-3, 6-4
5. Anais Hamel (EKU) def. Juliana Frey (EIU) 6-3, 6-3
6. Annie Egan (EIU) def. Esmira Gheisary (EKU) 6-1, 5-7, (10-7)

Doubles
1. Dibbs/Whitley (EIU) def. Faure/Hamel (EKU) 9-7
2. Egan/Huck (EIU) def. Albuquerque/Pagal (EKU) 8-5
3. Branco/Mhirit (EKU) def. Brooks/Laird (EIU) 8-2

Match Notes: Eastern Kentucky (9-11, 4-0 OVC); Eastern Illinois (4-8, 1-2 OVC)
Order of Finish: Doubles (3, 2, 1); Singles (3, 1, 2, 4*, 5, 6)