CHARLESTON, Ill. – The Eastern Kentucky University women’s tennis team clinched the Ohio Valley Conference regular season title and the number one seed for the upcoming league tournament thanks to a 7-0 win at Eastern Illinois Saturday afternoon.

The Colonels (16-6, 9-0 OVC) swept the singles matches, but had to survive a pair of three-set affairs. Sophomore Kristina Labeja (No. 2) rallied for a three-set triumph over EIU’s Sephora Boulbahaiem. Fellow sophomore Melissa Gerritsen (No. 5) dropped the second set of her match, only to respond with an impressive 6-1 decision in the third.

This is the second straight year and third time in the last five years that Eastern Kentucky has won the OVC regular season title.

EKU concludes the regular season tomorrow, April 14 at SIUE.

Eastern Kentucky 7, Eastern Illinois 0

Singles
1. Amandine Faouzi (EKU) def. Janelle Prisner (EIU)  6-2, 6-4
2. Kristina Labeja (EKU) def. Sephora Boulbahaiem (EIU)  4-6, 6-2, 6-3
3. Saioa Oscoz (EKU) def. Merritt Whitley (EIU)   7-5, 7-5
4. Milena Poffo (EKU) def. Ali Foster (EIU)   7-6, 6-4
5. Melissa Gerritsen (EKU) def. Jennifer Kim (EIU)  6-2, 3-6, 6-1
6. Marcela Jimenez (EKU) def. Kristen Laird (EIU)  6-1, 6-2

Doubles
1. Gerritsen/Labeja (EKU) led Prisner/Whitley (EIU)  8-7 DNF
2. Oscoz/Poffo (EKU) def. Boulbahaiem/Kimbrough (EIU) 8-5
3. Faouzi/Kinnen (EKU) def. Foster/Laird (EIU)   8-4

Match Notes: Eastern Kentucky (16-6, 9-0); Eastern Illinois (11-5, 6-3)
Order of Finish: Doubles (3, 2); Singles (6, 1, 4*, 3, 5, 2)