ST. LOUIS, Mo.- The University of Southern Indiana roared back in comeback fashion showing incredible resilience to beat Eastern Illinois University on Friday afternoon at the Ohio Valley Conference Championship Tournament Quarterfinals in an incredible match, 4-2. The victory makes USI history as the Screaming Eagles earned their first OVC Tournament victory in program history.
The Eagles continue to defy odds after they were picked to finish dead last in seventh place in the preseason coaches poll. USI now owns an impressive 11-10 overall record along with a 5-2 record in the OVC. The record is a seven-game improvement from last season and gives the Eagles a winning record in only their second season of Division I competition.
“Our program has made tremendous strides the whole season,” says head coach Chris Crawford. “This win today was just another example of where our program is going. It’s history-making! The process is going in the right direction and I’m so proud of how we have competed this season.”
USI also got revenge on a tough Eastern Illinois team after the Panthers eliminated the Eagles last season in the OVC tournament. This is the second time USI took down EIU this season.
Doubles
The Eagles dug themselves a hole Friday afternoon losing two of the three doubles matches. The lone victory was freshman Anais Negrail (Caxias do Sul, Brazil) and senior Rachel McCorkle (Tulsa, Oklahoma) who won in dominant fashion firing on all cylinders, 6-0.
Singles
USI showed incredible character not letting their doubles results carry over to the singles matches. The Eagles clinched the match winning four of five competitions as freshman Antonia Ferrarini (Caxias do Sul, Brazil) beat her opponent 6-2, 3-6, 6-1 to send USI to the semifinals. The OVC second-team member earned her eleventh singles victory of the season.
Freshman Sofia Davidoff (Lagny-sur-Marne, France) also brushed off her doubles defeat, taking down her opponent 6-2, 6-3. Junior Madison Windham (Clarksville, Tennessee) gutted out a win moving her OVC singles record to 4-3.
Newly awarded OVC Freshman of the Year Negrail, lived up to her honor on Friday winning her doubles and singles matches. She outslugged her singles number four opponent 6-3, 6-4.
What’s Next
USI lives to fight another day in the OVC tournament taking on Southern Illinois University Edwardsville tomorrow at the Dwight Davis Tennis Center at 2 p.m. The Eagles look for revenge after SIUE beat the Eagles in the regular season.
