April 2, 2008

BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. - East Carolina used four singles wins, three coming in straight-set fashion, and the doubles point to post a 5-2 non-conference men's tennis victory over Gardner-Webb Wednesday afternoon.

The Pirates, who have captured wins in eight of their last nine matches, improved to 13-7 on the year while the Bulldogs dropped to 12-10.

East Carolina opened the match by taking two of three hard-fought doubles battles to capture the opening point. Aleksey Kochetov and Henrik Skalmerud defeated Ryan Bernthal and Jamie Lawlor 8-6 at the No. 2 position before Bryan Oakley and Stephen Whitwell outlasted Joshua Ray and Grant Van Rensberg 9-7 at No. 3 to clinch the tally.

The Pirates wrapped up the triumph in singles play, winning four of six matchups. Whitwell defeated Van Rensberg (6-1, 6-1) at No. 4 and Skalmerud handled Carlos Quijano (6-3, 6-4) at No. 5 before Henrique Viana and Oakley added 7-5, 6-3 and 5-7, 6-4, 12-10 victories over Andrew Veeder and Taylor Ferrier at the No. 2 and 6 slots, respectively.

The Bulldogs' two victories came at the No. 1 and No. 3 flights as Evgeny Slesarev dismissed Jaroslav Horvath 6-3, 6-0 and Rafael Altmayer rallied past Kochetov 6-2, 3-6, 6-1.

The Pirates will return home Friday to face South Carolina State in non-conference action beginning at 3 p.m.

EAST CAROLINA 5, GARDNER-WEBB 2
Singles Play
No. 1 - Evgeny Slesarev (GWU) def. Jaroslav Horvath (ECU); 6-3, 6-0
No. 2 - Henrique Viana (ECU) def. Andrew Veeder (GWU); 7-5, 6-3
No. 3 - Rafael Altmayer (GWU) def. Aleksey Kochetov (ECU); 6-2, 3-6, 6-1
No. 4 - Stephen Whitwell (ECU) def. Grant Van Rensburg (GWU); 6-1, 6-1
No. 5 - Henrik Skalmerud (ECU) def. Carlos Quijano (GWU); 6-3, 6-4
No. 6 - Bryan Oakley (ECU) def. Taylor Ferrier (GWU); 5-7, 6-4, 12-10
Doubles Play
No. 1 - Slesarev/Veeder (GWU) def. Horvath/Viana (ECU); 8-5
No. 2 - Kochetov/Skalmerud (ECU) def. Ryan Bernthal/Jamie Lawlor (GWU); 8-6
No. 3 - Oakley/Whitwell (ECU) def. Joshua Ray/Van Rensburg (GWU); 9-7
Team Records: East Carolina 13-7, Gardner-Webb 12-10