MSU Qualifies For OVC On Season's Final Day

Saturday, April 15

Purcell Tennis Courts

12 p.m.

Murray State

Eastern Kentucky

Photo by: Dave Winder-Murray State Athletics

4/15/2017 3:06:00 PM | Women's Tennis

OVC Tournament Bracket

The Murray State women's tennis team defeated the Colonels of Eastern Kentucky 4-3 on Saturday at Bennie Purcell Courts and qualified for next week's Ohio Valley Conference Tournament.

The Racers finish the regular season with an 11-7 overall record and 4-3 in OVC play.

MSU began the week needing four matches to go their way in order to get the final spot in the OVC postseason event. The first thing they needed was a Wednesday win over Austin Peay. MSU earned that by a 4-3 score. They needed help in two other matches. MSU hoped Eastern Illinois to beat Southeast Missouri and EKU to defeat Austin Peay. Both results went the way MSU wanted, which set up Saturday's showdown at Purcell Courts. MSU got the winning point when Sara Bjork defeated EKU's Marina Marti 3-6, 6-3, 6-1. MSU gained the final OVC spot when they won a head-to-head tiebreaker over APSU after their win over the Govs on Wednesday.

The day started with the Racers taking the doubles point after a rally by duo of Amina Hadzic and Anja Loncarevic. The trailed early but came back to win 7-6 (7-4). The other Murray State duo to win was Alina Schibol and Claire Chang with a 6-2 win.

In singles play, the Racers needed to win three matches for the win and they got the first from Schibol 7-5, 6-0. Sara Loncarevic won her match 6-4, 6-3 before Bjork got the clincher.

OVC Championship will be held for the third consecutive year at the Centennial Sportsplex & Tennis Center in Nashville. Murray State is the No. 6 seed and plays at 10 a.m. Friday (April 21) against Eastern Kentucky who will be the No. 3 seed.

Tennis Match Results
Eastern Kentucky University vs Murray St.
Apr 15, 2017 at Murray, Kentucky
(Purcell Courts)
Murray St. 4, Eastern Kentucky University 3

Singles competition
1. Kristina Lagoda (EKU) def. LONCAREVIC, Anja (MUR) 6-1, 6-3
2. Viktorija Demcenkova (EKU) def. CHANG, Claire (MUR) 2-6, 7-5, 7-6
3. Laura Argente (EKU) def. HADZIC, Amina (MUR) 7-6, 6-3
4. LONCAREVIC, Sara (MUR) def. Sagung Putri Dwinta (EKU) 6-4, 6-3
5. SCHIBOL, Alina (MUR) def. Margaux Lacroix (EKU) 7-5, 6-0
6. BJORK, Sara (MUR) def. Marina Marti (EKU) 3-6, 6-3, 6-1

Doubles competition
1. SCHIBOL, Alina/CHANG, Claire (MUR) def. Kristina Lagoda/Viktorija Demcenkova (EKU) 6-2
2. HADZIC, Amina/LONCAREVIC, Anja (MUR) def. Laura Argente/Raquel Montalvo (EKU) 7-6
3. Sagung Putri Dwinta/Marina Marti (EKU) def. BJORK, Sara/MASSON, Jeanne (MUR) 6-3

Match Notes:
Eastern Kentucky University 10-10
Murray St. 7-11
Singles Finish 1, 5, 3, 4, 6*, 2
Doubles Finish 1, 3, 2*
T-3:30