Murray State University Athletics
Murray State
Battle of the Border
Racers Host Austin Peay in Battle of the Border
10/15/2026 10:06:00 AM | Women's Tennis
MURRAY, Ky. - Murray State women's tennis faces Austin Peay in the Battle of the Border this week, closing a fall schedule that has brought the Racers three flight titles and an appearance in the ITA Conference Masters.
It is the second meeting of the fall between the two programs. Murray State opened its season at the Austin Peay Invitational on Sept. 25-27, going 8-11 in singles and 1-8 in doubles over three days in Clarksville.
The Racers were at their best a week later at the Redbird Invitational, where they won three of the top four singles flights in an all-Missouri Valley Conference field hosted by Illinois State.
Most recently, Murray State competed at the ITA Ohio Valley Regional Championships at the in Cincinnati, Ohio. Valeria Chaikovskaia drew Tennessee in the singles round of 64, Varvara Alexeyeva entered as the No. 5 seed and met Cincinnati, and both Yu Kikawa and Aada Inna faced seeded Middle Tennessee opponents. In doubles, Inna and Chaikovskaia ran into Kentucky's No. 8 seed and Alexeyeva and Kikawa drew Cincinnati, both in the round of 64. Inna produced the Racers' lone win of the event, a consolation victory over Xavier.
Racers to Watch
- Valeria Chaikovskaia - Won the Flight 1 title at the Redbird Invitational, beating the No. 2 seed in the semifinals and the No. 1 seed in the final. The championship qualified her for the ITA Conference Masters, Nov. 5-8 in Rome, Georgia. She fell to a Tennessee opponent 6-3, 6-2 in the ITA Regional round of 64.
- Aada Inna - Opened the fall 3-0 in singles at the Austin Peay Invitational, then won the Flight 4 title at Illinois State. At the ITA Regional she took the opening set off the No. 9 seed before falling 5-7, 6-2, 6-3, and came back to win a consolation match over Xavier 3-6, 6-3, 10-6.
- Varvara Alexeyeva - Entered the ITA Regional as the No. 5 seed in the singles main draw. She was the Flight 2 runner-up at Illinois State and went 2-1 at the Austin Peay Invitational.
- Ilouna Aneca - Reached the No. 2 doubles final at the Redbird Invitational alongside Inna in the pair's first tournament together.
