The Skyhawk women’s tennis team clinched first place in the Ohio Valley Conference with a 4-3 win at home over Tennessee Tech.

The win improved the Skyhawks’ record to 14-2 overall and a perfect 10-0 in conference play. Freshman Ernestine Koornhof won the clinching singles match 6-1, 6-3 .

“I was nervous but I knew I could do it,” the Cape Town, South Africa native said.

Skyhawk coach Dennis Taylor praised Koornhof after the match “She played better overall as the match progressed,” Taylor said. Katrina Domela, Amber Garza, and Elizma Schoonees also won matches for the Skyhawk women.

Koornhof and Schoonees also won a doubles match. Tech won the other two doubles matches to take the point.

The OVC championship is scheduled for this weekend at the Centennial Sportsplex in Nashville.

The Skyhawk women will have a bye in Friday’s first round and will play their first match on Saturday.

The Skyhawk men fell to Tennessee Tech, 6-1, to drop to 9-10 overall and 6-3 in the OVC. Even with the loss, the men are guaranteed to finish no lower than fourth in the conference standings.

Senior Danny McGuire picked up the Skyhawks’ only win in singles play, beating Shunsuke Shimitzu 7-6, 7-6.

McGuire teamed up with freshman Stephen Bruwer to record a doubles win over Tech’s Shimitzu and Holger Schaffers by a score of 8-6. Tech won the other two doubles matches to claim the point.