MARTIN, Tenn. – The Eastern Kentucky University women’s tennis team fell to OVC foe UT Martin (4-3) before rebounding to defeat SIU Edwardsville (6-0) Saturday afternoon. EKU now stands at 11-14 overall and 5-3 in the conference with one week left in the regular season.

The EKU-UTM match came down to a third set at No. 3 singles. Junior Anouk Faure won the first set, but eventually dropped the final two sets to Anna Winkelmann, 5-7, 6-2, 6-4. Since starting 5-0 in OVC play, the Colonels have dropped their last three league matches.

“I’m proud of how hard we played today,” EKU head coach Rob Oertel said. “There are so many close OVC teams this year that we need to keep our spirits high and keep plugging away.”

Eastern Kentucky concludes its regular season schedule next weekend at Lee University (April 9) and Jacksonville State (April 10).

UT Martin 4, Eastern Kentucky 3

Singles
1. Myriem Mhirit (EKU) def. Jodie Tiley (UTM) 7-5, 6-2
2. Martie Wahl (UTM) def. Jessica Albuquerque (EKU) 6-3, 6-2
3. Anna Winkelmann (UTM) def. Anouk Faure (EKU) 5-7, 6-2, 6-4
4. Johanie Van Zyl (UTM) def. Alyze Pagal (EKU) 3-6, 6-4, 6-0
5. Anais Hamel (EKU) def. Belisa de Brito (UTM) 7-6 (4), 6-2
6. Catarina Branco (EKU) def. Anna Marie Herbold (UTM) 6-4, 6-1

Doubles
1. Faure/Hamel (EKU) def. Laing/Tiley (UTM) 8-6
2. de Brito/Wahl (UTM) def. Albuquerque/Pagal (EKU) 8-6
3. Herbold/Winkelmann (UTM) def. Branco/Mhirit (EKU) 9-7

Match Notes: Eastern Kentucky (10-14, 5-3 OVC); UT Martin (8-4, 5-1 OVC)
Order of Finish: Doubles (3, 1, 2); Singles (2, 6, 1, 5, 4, 3*)

Eastern Kentucky 6, SIU Edwardsville 0

Singles
1. Myriem Mhirit (EKU) def. Kelsey Laird (SIUE) 6-1, 6-1
2. Jessica Albuquerque (EKU) def. Carli Connors (SIUE) 6-1, 6-0
3. Alyze Pagal (EKU) def. Maggie Boeckman (SIUE) 6-4, 7-5
4. Anais Hamel (EKU) def. Amanda Niebur (SIUE) 6-1, 6-1
5. Catarina Branco (EKU) def. Ali Wulfers (SIUE) 6-0, 6-0
6. Esmira Gheisary (EKU) def. Amanda Miller (SIUE) 6-1, 6-2

Match Notes: Eastern Kentucky (11-14); SIU Edwardsville (3-15)
Order of Finish: Doubles (DNP); Singles (5, 2, 1, 6*, 4, 3)