The Eastern women’s tennis team continues its hot stretch after it swept a weekend series at the Darling Courts Friday and Saturday.

The Panthers defeated Austin Peay, 5-2, and Murray State, 4-3.

Eastern continued its dominance in doubles matches as it took the doubles point. The duo of freshman Grace Summers and senior Sephora Boulbahaiem defeated Governor seniors Ornella Di Salvo and Vanessa Tavares, 8-4.

Juniors Ali Foster and Hannah Kimbrough defeated sophomore Hannah Tatlock and senior Jovana Karac.

Eastern sophomores Kelly Iden and Kamile Stadalninkaite were not able to finish the match after the duo was tied 6-6 with Governor freshman Brittney Covington and sophomore Isabela Jovanovic.

The Panthers won 4-of-6 singles matches against Austin Peay. Foster continued her hot stretch in singles matches by defeating Tatlock in straight sets 6-2, 6-0.

Summers defeated Tavares in straight sets 6-4, 7-5. Boulbahaiem defeated Covington 6-1, 6-3. Stadalninkaite defeated Karac 6-4, 6-3.

Austin Peay salvaged two victories after Di Salvo defeated Iden 6-2, 6-1, in the first singles match.

Also, Jovanovic defeated Kimbrough 3-6, 6-0, 10-6.

The Panthers defeated Murray State, 4-3, in Saturday’s match at Darling Courts.

Eastern did not gain the doubles point as the Racers took two of the three matches.

Sophomores Eleonore Tchakarova and Verginie Tchakarova defeated Summers and Boulbahaiem, 8-2, in the No. 1 doubles match.

Senior Andrea Eskauriatza and junior Erin Patton defeated Foster and Kimbrough, 8-4.

That loss by Foster and Kimbrough was only their third loss of the season.

The match of Panthers duo Iden and Stadalninkaite against freshman Nancy Karaky and sophomore Alena Vasileva went unfinished.

Eastern won four of the six singles matches as Foster won again by defeating junior Megan Blue in straight sets 6-3, 6-3.

Foster’s win was her ninth-straight victory in singles matches. Her only loss came on Jan. 25, in a match at Indiana.

Iden fell behind in the first set, 5-7, but won the next two sets 6-2, 6-3, against Eleonore Tchakarova.

Summers won her match against Karaky 7-5, 3-6, 6-3. Also, Kimbrough defeated Tchakarova, 6-4, 6-2.

Vasileva defeated Boulbahaiem in straight sets, 6-0, 6-4. Patton defeated Stadalninkaite in straight sets as well, 6-1, 6-3.

The Panthers improved their record to 8-3 on the season and 3-0 in conference play.

Eastern will be in action Wednesday at Southern Illinois-Edwardsville at noon.

Bob Reynolds can be reached at 581-2812 or rjreynolds@eiu.edu.