Missoula, Mont. - On the heels of a convincing 5-2 road victory over Montana on Sunday, April 17, the Eastern Washington University women's tennis team is headed to the Big Sky Conference Championship for the first time since 2009.

The Eagles finished their dual match season with a 6-5 mark in Big Sky play and a 12-10 overall record. Eastern will be the No. 6 seed at this year's conference tournament, which begins on Friday, April 29, at the Gold River Racquet Club in Gold River, Calif.

After a 7-0 defeat to MSU on Friday, April 15, the Eagles went into their match with Montana needing a win to advance into the league tournament, and pulled off the clutch victory on the road.

Eastern got itself going right away, earning the first win of the match in doubles, as the team of junior Katrina Domingo and junior Dani Young took down Montana's Anabel Carbo and Hannah Sulz 6-1. After a defeat in the No. 2 spot, the tandem of sophomore Janaya Smith and freshman Faye Worrall clinched the important doubles point by defeating Francis Dean and Catherin Orfanos 6-4, in the No. 1 position.

The early 1-0 match lead in favor of EWU turned out to be critical in a very competitive singles competition, where four matches went to three sets. UM struck first, tying the match 1-1, with Cam Kincaid beating junior Erin Blessing in a back-and-forth battle 6-2, 4-6, 6-1. In some of the closest contests of the competition, the Eagles played at an outstanding level, securing the team's win in three straight matches. Senior Moira Hedberg edged out Lidia Dukic 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 in the No. 2 spot, while Smith defeated Dean in a final set tiebreaker 6-2, 4-6, 7-6 (7-4) out of the No. 1 position.

In the third line, Worrall came back from a one set deficit and defeated Sulz 4-6, 6-4, 6-3,  giving Eastern a 4-1 lead and a spot in the league championship. The team's final point was earned in the sixth line, when junior Carolina Lopez beat Anabel Carbo 6-4, 6-2.

"When times would get tight, we stepped up and got tough and that has ultimately been the difference for us all season long," said head coach Dustin Hinson.

"We've faced tough challenges and bumps along the way, but it was our positive response to those tough situations that proved to be the difference this season. We are extremely happy and proud to be representing EWU at the BSC Women's Tennis Championships next weekend. We believe we are a serious contender and we are going to work hard and do everything we can to be our best on match day."

Results:

Eastern Washington - 0

Montana State - 7

Doubles:

1. MIDDEL, Laura/HOLOPAINEN, Naomi (MSU) def. SMITH, Janaya/WORRALL, Faye (EWU) 7-5

2. BRYCKI, Jessica/HOLOPAINEN, Wanda (MSU) def. HEDBERG, Moira/SWINDELL, Rachel (EWU) 6-0

3. PHILIPPOVA, Angelina/CERKOVNIK, Shelby (MSU) def. BLESSING, Erin/DOMINGO, Katrina (EWU) 6-0

Singles:

1. MIDDEL, Laura (MSU) def. SMITH, Janaya (EWU) 6-4, 6-4

2. HOLOPAINEN, Naomi (MSU) def. HEDBERG, Moira (EWU) 6-1, 6-0

3. BRYCKI, Jessica (MSU) def. WORRALL, Faye (EWU) 2-6, 7-5, 7-6 (7-5)

4. PHILIPPOVA, Angelina (MSU) def. BLESSING, Erin (EWU) 6-2, 6-0

5. HOLOPAINEN, Wanda (MSU) def. SWINDELL, Rachel (EWU) 3-6, 6-2, 10-8

6. CERKOVNIK, Shelby (MSU) def. DOMINGO, Katrina (EWU) 6-1, 6-0

Eastern Washington - 5

Montana - 2

Doubles:

1. SMITH, Janaya/WORRALL, Faye (EWU) def. DEAN, Francis/ORFANOS, Catherine (UM) 6-4

2. DUKIC, Lidia/KINCAID, Cam (UM) def. HEDBERG, Moira/SWINDELL, Rachel (EWU) 7-6 (8-6)

3. DOMINGO, Katrina/YOUNG, Dani (EWU) def. CARBO, Anabel/SULZ, Hannah (UM) 6-1

Singles:

1. SMITH, Janaya (EWU) def. DEAN, Francis (UM) 6-2, 4-6, 7-6 (7-4)

2. HEDBERG, Moira (EWU) def. DUKIC, Lidia (UM) 6-4, 3-6, 6-4

3. WORRALL, Faye (EWU) def. SULZ, Hannah (UM) 4-6, 6-4, 6-3

4. KINCAID, Cam (UM) def. BLESSING, Erin (EWU) 6-2, 4-6, 6-1

5. ORFANOS, Catherine (UM) def. SWINDELL, Rachel (EWU) 6-2, 6-4

6. LOPEZ, Carolina (EWU) def. CARBO, Anabel (UM) 6-4, 6-2