NASHVILLE, Tenn. –  The EKU women's tennis team advanced to Saturday's Ohio Valley Conference Tournament semifinal match with a 4-1 win over Murray State University in the opening round of play at the Centennial Sportsplex.
 
"Sometimes the pressure of the OVC Tournament can get to the girls," Head Coach Rob Oertel said. "For our girls being as young as they are, it looked like they were enjoying the pressure."
 
The Colonels locked up the doubles point in front of a large crowd with an exciting win at the No. 3 spot by freshman Corentine Bodin and junior Marina Marti.
 
After the teams split the No. 1 and No. 2 matches, Bodin and Marti's poise helped the Colonels to the point and gave EKU momentum heading into singles play.
 
Junior Raquel Montalvo was sidelined in her first set of singles play, but that did not deter EKU.
 
Freshman Margaux Lacroix's 6-2, 6-2 win put the Colonels in front 2-1, before sophomore Laura Argente drew EKU closer to advancing on to the next round.
 
With Viktorija Demcenkova, Bodin and Marti all leading with the deciding point remaining, it was Demcenkova's 6-2, 6-4 win at No. 2 that clinched the match for the Colonels.
 
"If we enjoy the competition like we did today, we have a good shot at getting a revenge win over SIUE," Oertel said.
 
Murray State won the OVC Tournament title last season after handing the Colonels a 4-2 loss in the championship match.
 
The Colonels will take on SIUE in Saturday's semifinal match. Saturday's match is scheduled for a 3 p.m. ET start.
 
SIUE defeated the Colonels, 6-1, in last week's regular season finale at Tom Higgins Courts.
 

 
Eastern Kentucky University 4, Murray State 1

1. Laura Argente (EKU) def. BLUE, Megan (MUR) 6-0, 6-4
2. Viktorija Demcenkova (EKU) def. HADZIC Amina (MUR) 6-2, 6-4
3. Corentine Bodin (EKU) vs. MORGAN Haily (MUR) 6-3, 5-4, unfinished
4. Margaux Lacroix (EKU) def. PATTON Erin (MUR) 6-2, 6-2
5. Marina Marti (EKU) vs. SCHIBOL Alina (MUR) 4-6, 6-2, 1-0, unfinished
6. MASSON Jeanne (MUR) def. Raquel Montalvo (EKU), by default

1. PATTON Erin/MORGAN Haily (MUR) def. Laura Argente/Raquel Montalvo (EKU) 6-4
2. Viktorija Demcenkova/Margaux Lacroix (EKU) def. MASSON Jeanne/SCHIBOL Alina (MUR) 6-4
3. Corentine Bodin/Marina Marti (EKU) def. BLUE, Megan/HADZIC Amina (MUR) 7-5