Murray State def. Eastern Kentucky 4-1 Box Score
On Saturday afternoon, Murray State captured the 2014 OVC Women’s Tennis Championship Title with a 4-1 win over #2 seed Eastern Kentucky. The #1 seed Racers won their first OVC Women’s Tennis Championship Title since 2007 and their eighth title overall.
Murray State jumped out to an early, 1-0, lead over Eastern Kentucky as the Racers won at both No. 1 and No. 2 doubles, clinching the doubles point. At No. 2 doubles, Murray State’s Andrea Eskauriatza and Erin Patton defeated Eastern Kentucky’s Saioa Oscoz and Carmen Rodriguez, 8-4. The Racers’ sister duo of Eleonore and Verginie Tchakarova beat the Colonels’ Kristina Labeja and Melissa Gerritsen at the No. 1 doubles spot, 8-7 (2), to clinch the doubles point. No. 3 doubles was left unfinished as Carla Suga and Megan Blue of Murray State led Amandine Faouzi and Milena Poffo of Eastern Kentucky, 6-5.
In singles play, Murray State took No. 1, No. 2, and No. 4 singles over Eastern Kentucky en route to winning all but No. 6 singles of the completed matches. In the first singles win of the match for the Racers, Andrea Eskauriatza defeated Eastern Kentucky’s Kristina Labeja (7-6 (3), 6-2), at the No. 1 spot. Next came Eastern Kentucky’s lone singles victory as Marcela Jimenez beat Murray State’s Erin Patton at No. 6 singles (6-1, 6-4). At No. 2 singles, Eleonore Tchakarova of Murray State won (6-3, 6-3) over Amandine Faouzi of Eastern Kentucky. To clinch the OVC Championship, the Racers’ Megan Blue defeated the Colonels’ Saioa Oscoz (6-2, 6-4) at the No. 4 singles position. Murray State’s Carla Suga was up (6-4, 2-3) over Eastern Kentucky’s Melissa Gerritsen at the No. 3 spot when the match was completed, and the Colonels’ Milena Poffo was leading (6-2, 3-3) over the Racers’ Verginie Tchakarova at No. 5 singles.
With the championship win, Murray State receives an automatic bid into the NCAA Division I Women’s Championship tournament. Murray State will learn of it’s opponent and the location of the first round match on Tuesday, April 29th, at 4:30 p.m. CST which will be broadcast live on NCAA.com.