RICHMOND, Ky. – The Eastern Kentucky University women's tennis program won big over in-state Bellarmine by a score of 4-2 on Sunday afternoon inside the Greg Adams Tennis Center.
 
Seniors Marilou Cote, Zhansaya Bakytzhan, and sophomore Ceylin Ipek came up victorious in singles to move EKU to 9-12 on the 2026 spring season.
 
EKU went up 1-0 early in the match winning the crucial doubles point. The Colonels' pairings on courts one and two came away with 6-3 wins.
 
In singles, after dropping court two, Cote moved EKU to a 2-1 lead with a straight set 6-4, 6-2 win over Bellarmine's Gracie Hurley on court four. Ipek gave the Colonels a 3-1 lead minutes later winning in three sets 6-0, 1-6, 7-5 on court three.
 
Bellarmine's Vendula Kryslove sneaked away with a win on court one over Sasha Parkhomenko 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 on court one to bring the match 3-2. EKU's Bakytzhan clinched the affair with a 6-3, 6-1 win on court six over BU's Lillie Willis.
 
EKU returns to action on Wednesday, April 1 at 12:30 p.m. ET facing Southern Indiana at home. Wednesday's match will be Senior Day at the courts, fans are encouraged to arrive 30 minutes early for festivities.
 
Doubles
1. Masha Fedenko/Sasha Parkhomenko (EKU) def. Vendula Kryslova/Reese Parker (BELL) 6-3
2. Ceylin Ipek/Anastasiia Cherniakova (EKU) def. Lille Willis/Gracie Hurley (BELL) 6-3
3. Marika Caruk/Nikola Kollaritsch (BELL) vs. Marilou Cote/Izem Elif Olcer (EKU) 5-4, unf.
 
Singles
1. Vendula Kryslova (BELL) def. Sasha Parkhomenko (EKU) 3-6, 7-5, 6-4
2. Reese Parker (BELL) def. Masha Fedenko (EKU) 6-2, 6-3
3. Ceylin Ipek (EKU) def. Marika Caruk (BELL) 6-0, 1-6, 7-5
4. Marilou Cote (EKU) def. Gracie Hurley (BELL) 6-4, 6-2
5. Izem Elif Olcer (EKU) vs. Nikola Kollaritsch (BELL) 7-6, 1-4, unf.
6. Zhansaya Bakytzhan (EKU) def. Lillie Willis (BELL) 6-3, 6-1