CHARLESTON, Ill. - The Eastern Illinois women's tennis team went 1-1 on the weekend in two conference matches. EIU fell for the first time this season in OVC play to Murray State Friday morning before toping Austin Peay the following Saturday.

In a dramatic Friday night clash the 8-5, Panthers dropped their late lead over the Murray State Racers who would go on to secure the late 4-3 victory in the closing frames on Purcell Courts. The Panthers would have a similar result in Clarksville, this time in their favor as they downed the Austin Peay Governors by a similar score of 4-3.

With the split EIU is now 9-5 on the season and 3-1 in the OVC. 

The Panthers started strong against Murray State, finding themselves with an early lead again taking care of business in doubles competition. Hannah Kimbrough and Grace Summers opened doubles play at the No. 1 spot, pairing to defeat the Racers duo of Haily Morgan and Erin Patton 6-4. Later Kelly Iden and Ali Foster secured the all-important doubles point thanks to their 6-1 drubbing of Megan Blue and Amina Hadzic, giving the Panthers an early 1-0 lead. 

Things got interesting during the singles matches as the Racers came out ready to play with Hadzic taking care of Foster from the No. 2 spot (6-3, 6-2). However, Summers and Kimbrough would answer from the No. 3 and No. 4 spots respectively putting the Panthers on top 3-1. 

It was all Racers the rest of the way as Blue and Jeanne Masson would both rally from behind in their singles competition defeating Iden 1-6. 6-2, 6-2 from the No. 1 spot, and Kamile Stadalninkaite at the No. 5 singles position by a score of 0-6, 6-3, 6-0. 

Tied at 3-3 Srishti Sladria would drop her first set 6-4, but answer with a dominant 1-6 victory in the second set. Yet the Racers would rally again as Alina Schibol would return from the depths to earn a 6-4 match-clinching victory. 

The Panthers OVC competition continued Saturday in Clarksville Tennessee against Austin Peay with yet another clash coming down to the final set. This time, the Panthers narrowly escaped with a 4-3 victory. 

Facing a 3-2 deficit, Abby Carpenter stepped up during singles competition from the No. 6 spot to secure a hard fought 7-6, 7-6(5) victory over Isabela Jovanovic. 

In doubles play, EIU swept the Governors with Kimbrough and Summers defeating Lidia Yanes Garcia and Helena Kuppig, 6-4. At No. 3, Slaria and Stadalninkaite finished off the sweep defeating Hannah Tatlock and Jovanovic, 6-3, due to the third match going unfinished. 

The Panthers will return home for an April fools match with the Belmont Bruins Friday on Darling Courts at 10 am.

Murray State 4, Eastern Illinois 3

Singles competition
1. BLUE, Megan (MUR) def. IDEN Kelly (EIU) 1-6, 6-2, 6-2
2. HADZIC Amina (MUR) def. FOSTER Ali (EIU) 6-3, 6-2
3. SUMMERS Grace (EIU) def. MORGAN Haily (MUR) 5-7, 6-4, 6-2
4. KIMBROUGH Hannah (EIU) def. PATTON Erin (MUR) 7-6, 6-1
5. SCHIBOL Alina (MUR) def. SLARIA Srishti (EIU) 6-4, 1-6, 6-4
6. MASSON Jeanne (MUR) def. STADALNINKAITE K. (EIU) 0-6, 6-3, 6-0

Doubles competition
1. KIMBROUGH Hannah/SUMMERS Grace (EIU) def. MORGAN Haily/PATTON Erin (MUR) 6-4
2. IDEN Kelly/FOSTER Ali (EIU) def. BLUE, Megan/HADZIC Amina (MUR) 6-1
3. MASSON Jeanne/SCHIBOL Alina (MUR) vs. SLARIA Srishti/STADALNINKAITE K. (EIU) 5-4, unfinished

Eastern Illinois 4, Austin Peay 3

Singles
1. YANES GARCIA, Lidia (APSU) def. IDEN, Kelly (EIU) 6-2, 6-2
2. YANES GARCIA, Claudi (APSU) def. FOSTER, Ali (EIU) 6-4, 6-0
3. SUMMERS, Grace (EIU) def. KUPPIG, Helena (APSU) 6-4, 6-0
4. TATLOCK, Hannah (APSU) def. KIMBROUGH, Hannah (EIU) 6-4, 6-4
5. SLARIA, Srishti (EIU) def. COVINGTON, Brittney (APSU) 6-2, 6-0
6. CARPENTER, Abby (EIU) def. JOVANOVIC, Isabela (APSU) 7-6, 7-6 (10-5)

Doubles
1. SUMMERS, Grace/KIMBROUGH, Hannah (EIU) def. YANES GARCIA, Lidia/KUPPIG, Helena (APSU) 6-4
2. YANES GARCIA, Claudi/COVINGTON, Brittney (APSU) vs. IDEN, Kelly/FOSTER, Ali (EIU) 4-4, unfinished
3. SLARIA, Srishti/STADALNINKAITE, K. (EIU) def. TATLOCK, Hannah/JOVANOVIC, Isabela (APSU) 6-3