Tweet #LOYALandTRUE

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Senior Christine Gouws picked up a three-set win at No. 1 singles for Eastern Illinois but it was not enough for the Panthers as they lost 6-1 at Southeast Missouri.
 
The loss dropped EIU to third in the OVC standings as they will play as the No. 3 seed at next weekend's OVC Tournament in Paducah, Ky.   SEMO won the OVC regular title with the win.
 
Gouws win came in three sets over Daniela Hlacikova at the No. 1 singles position handing Hlacikova her first conference loss of the season.  Gouws won the opening set 6-4 and lost the second 3-6.  She would win the final set with an 11-9 decision.
 
Southeast Missouri jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the match winning the doubles point with wins at No. 1 and No. 2.   The doubles match at No. 3 was left unfinished with SEMO leading 4-3 over EIU's doubles team of Elizaveta Bukraba-Ulanova and Lauren Ellis.
 
The Redhawks would capture the remaining five singles matches in two sets each.  Bukraba-Ulanova competed at No. 2 singles losing 6-4, 6-3.  Ellis pushed her first set to 6-4 at No. 6 singles before falling 6-2 in the second set.   Jemma Booth, playing at No. 3 singles, lost 6-2 in the first set and 6-4 in the second.
 
EIU will return to action on Friday, April 21 at 2 p.m. facing the No. 6 seed in the OVC Tournament.    
 
EIU finishes the regular season at 12-10 overall, 3-2 in the OVC. SEMO improved to 15-2 overall, 5-0 in the OVC.