Complete Results

RICHMOND, Ky. – The Eastern Kentucky University women’s tennis team opened its fall schedule this past weekend at the Muirfield Collegiate Tennis Invitational, which was hosted by Ohio State. The event featured quality competition from OSU, Louisville, Cincinnati, Kentucky, Akron and Bowling Green.

Sophomore Kristina Labeja had the best showing for the Colonels as she rallied to win four consecutive matches to capture the consolation bracket. Labeja won three of the four matches in a third set super tie-breaker, including the finals against Akron’s Ksenia Berestetska where the score was 6-2, 0-6, 13-11.

“Considering how strong the field was, overall I think it was a positive weekend for the Colonels,” EKU head coach Rob Oertel said. “Special kudos have to go to Kristina Labeja for handling the pressure involved with all of the tie-breakers.”

Sophomore Amandine Faouzi, EKU’s top player, was the only Colonel to win a match in the main singles draw. She cruised to a 6-0, 6-1 win over Cincinnati’s Carly Wilson in the round of 32. However, Ohio State’s Fidan Manashirova, the tournament’s number four seed, edged Faouzi in the second round, 6-3, 6-4.

In doubles, Labeja and fellow sophomore Melissa Gerritsen advanced to the quarterfinals with a win over Akron, 8-6.

All seven players from Eastern Kentucky’s 2012 Ohio Valley Conference championship team are back on the roster again this season.

The Colonels are back in action two weekends from now, Sept. 28-30, at the Austin Peay Invitational in Clarksville, Tenn.