Jan. 20, 2008

RICHMOND, Va. -- A victory over Drexel highlighted the East Carolina men's tennis squad's season-opening weekend but the Pirates completed tournament play by dropping two of three overall matches at the Virginia Commonwealth Invitational Friday and Saturday at the Thalhimer Tennis Center.

ECU won a pair of singles matches and took the doubles point during its 3-2 triumph against the Dragons but managed only a combined three singles wins and fell in both doubles battles to suffer a 3-1 loss to Georgetown and a 3-2 setback to James Madison.

In the opener against the Hoyas, senior Henrique Viana managed the Pirates' only victory with a 6-4, 6-2 decision over Adam Gross at the No. 4 position. Later in the day against Drexel, Viana added a 6-2, 6-1 win against Jarrod Popovice while Bryan Oakley fought past Joey Koebele 7-6 (7), 4-6, 6-3 in a No. 2 singles matchup. East Carolina captured the doubles point and the match when freshman Jaroslav Horvath and sophomore Matt Peeler teamed up to cruise past Gaurav Parikh and Jason Savage-Pollack by a 6-2, 6-2 score.

Horvath (No. 4) and fellow freshman Henrik Skalmerud (No. 2) tallied singles wins for the Pirates against JMU, booking 6-0, 7-5 and 2-6, 6-4, 6-3 triumphs over Chris Armes and Mike Smith, respectively. However, the Dukes used a 6-3, 6-4 victory by Carlin Campbell and Brian Rubenstein over Peeler and Stephen Whitwell to notch the doubles point and match.

East Carolina will return to action Feb. 1 when it hosts High Point for a 1:00 p.m. match.

GEORGETOWN 3, EAST CAROLINA 1
Singles Play
No. 1 - Jeff Schnell (GEO) def. Stephen Whitwell (ECU); 6-2, 3-6, 7-6 (5)
No. 2 - Anthony Tan (GEO) vs. Jaroslav Horvath (ECU); 6-0, 4-6, 2-2 (unfinished)
No. 3 - Will Lowell (GEO) def. Matt Peeler (ECU); 6-2, 6-4
No. 4 - Henrique Viana (ECU) def. Adam Gross (GEO); 6-4, 6-2
Doubles Play
No. 1 - David Tillem/Ted Tywang (GEO) def. Aleksey Kochetov/Bryan Oakley (ECU); 6-2, 3-6, 7-6 (5)
Team Records: East Carolina 0-1, Georgetown 1-0

EAST CAROLINA 3, DREXEL 2
Singles Play
No. 1 - Omar Laalej (DREX) def. Henrik Skalmerud (ECU); 6-1, 7-6 (5)
No. 2 - Bryan Oakley (ECU) def. Joey Koebele (DREX); 7-6 (7), 4-6, 6-3
No. 3 - Nicholas Bacchus (DREX) def. Stephen Whitwell (ECU); 6-3, 7-5
No. 4 - Henrique Viana (ECU) def. Jarrod Popovice (DREX); 6-2, 6-1
Doubles Play
No. 1 - Jaroslav Horvath/Matt Peeler (ECU) def. Gaurav Parikh/Jason Savage-Pollack (DREX); 6-2, 6-2
Team Records: East Carolina 1-1, Drexel 0-2

JAMES MADISON 3, EAST CAROLINA 2
Singles Play
No. 1 - Jesse Tarr (JMU) def. Henrique Viana (ECU); 6-2, 7-6 (4)
No. 2 - Henrik Skalmerud (ECU) def. Mike Smith (JMU); 2-6, 6-4, 6-3
No. 3 - Jared Robinson (JMU) def. Brian Oakley (ECU); 6-4, 6-1
No. 4 - Jaroslav Horvath (ECU) def. Chris Armes (JMU); 6-0, 7-5
Doubles Play
No. 1 - Carlin Campbell/Brian Rubenstein (JMU) def. Matt Peeler/Stephen Whitwell (ECU); 6-3, 6-4
Team Records: East Carolina 1-2, James Madison 1-1