PADUCAH, Ky. - Ohio Valley Conference Freshman of the Year Carolin Weikard won the deciding match in three sets to lead Austin Peay women's tennis team to the 2010 OVC Tournament championship and an NCAA Tournament berth, Sunday, at the Heflin Tennis Center.

"I told our players to be careful and stick to what you do well," first-year head coach Malik Tabet said. "This is what you play for all year. When you carry that trophy, it makes it all worth while. I'm very excited that we have been able to put a print in this conference, and we're going to build on it."

This is what you play for - leading three matches to two, Austin Peay women's tennis team was only a breath away from its fourth OVC championship. The Lady Govs already had wins at No. 1 from OVC Player of the Year Vanja Tomic and at No. 6 from senior Yuki Nakamura.

Weikard and Pagan, at Nos. 2 and 3, respectively, each lost their first sets, but won the second. Eastern Kentucky, meanwhile, was on its last leg in looking for a repeat.

"Carolin is an aggressive player and she needed to come out and get the point at the net," Tabet said. "I told her to forget about the first set and this was a new match. She dug in and I'm really proud of how she fought for that match. I told her to finish this match at the net and she responded well."

Weikard jumped out to a 5-2 lead against Jessica Albuquerque in her third set before getting hit with cramps in her right leg. Albuquerque rallied with a series of deep lobs in attempt to keep the taller Weikard off the net and was successful in doing so. With each match point, Weikard battled and Albuquerque continued to hold her off.

The match eventually tied at 5-5 and Weikard had enough, pushing Albuquerque back with deep lobs. She narrowed the court with her long frame and claimed the deciding win in a dominant fashion.

"(The match) was full of ups and downs," Weikard said. "I was exhausted and really tired. All the (Govs tennis team) supporting me helped me a lot. I had to fight and that's what I did. In the first set, I made a lot of unforced errors and she kept the ball in play. In the last two, I gave the ball more spin and did a better job of moving around and getting to the net."

Weikard got off to a slow start after teaming with Nakamura for a convincing win at No. 2 doubles, 8-0. After sophomore Demi Georgakopoulos and Michelle Liew fell, 8-6, at No. 3, it all came down to Tomic and Pagan in match of swapping points. Austin Peay's duo won the last two games to force the tiebreaker, where they won the first four points en route to a 7-3 tiebreak win.

Nakamura battled a sore foot at No.6 singles, but rolled to a (7-5, 6-3) win, while Tomic made quick work of Myriem Mhirit at No. 1. Pagan, meanwhile, was ahead 5-2 in her third set when Weikard won the deciding match.

"It's championship time," Tabet said. "They wanted it as much as we did and they played like it. It's a different battle out here. I told our players, when you get to the tournament, it's a different dynamic. Anybody can win - you've just got to believe. We believed more than they did today."

-AP-