CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Fifth-seeded Southeast Missouri (13-7, 5-4) will face fourth-seeded Eastern Illinois (13-8, 5-4) in the first round of the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament Friday.

Start time is 10 a.m., CT, at the Centennial Sportsplex Tennis Center in Nashville, Tennessee.
 
Southeast makes its first OVC Tournament in a decade after a huge turnaround this season.
 
"We are excited to be competing in the OVC Tournament this weekend," said head coach Mary Beth Gunn. "Our team has put in all the hard work throughout the season and they are hungry to continue competing."
 
The Redhawks are looking to avenge a 4-3 loss to EIU on Apr. 14 in Cape Girardeau, the final weekend of the regular-season. Freshman Oleksandra Doroshenko leads the squad with 29 total wins this spring. She is 15-5 in singles play and added another 14 victories in doubles action with Isabella Krupa. Another singles win for Doroshenko will put her in a three-way tie for fifth for most singles victories in a season at Southeast. Doroshenko and Krupa's 14-5 doubles record presently stands as the third-best in a season in the program's history.

In Gunn's second year at Southeast, the Redhawks improved their record to 13-7 overall and 5-4 in the OVC after going 1-19 and 0-10 in league play the previous season. This year is Southeast's first winning season since 2005-06 (12-11). Including this season, the Redhawks have 11 all-time OVC Tournament appearances.