LOUISVILLE, Ky. --- Seventh-seeded DePaul defeated No. 10 seed East Carolina 4-1 Thursday to close out the opening day of the 2005 Conference USA Men's Tennis Championship.

The Blue Demons took the doubles point to start the match as the team of Eric Huffman and Robert Kotrozco defeated Henrique Viana and Darren Mansell 8-4 at No. 2. DePaul's Mark Henderson and Sam Davidson beat Nick Rose and Paulo Baumer 8-5 at the top seed to clinch the point.

In singles action, Jack Komar gave the Blue Demons a 2-0 lead with a 6-2, 6-4 win over Florian Tremmel at No. 5. George Wang defeated Viana 6-2, 6-2 at the three-spot to make it a 3-0 match. East Carolina's Rose defeated Huffman 7-5, 1-6, 6-0 at No. 6, making the score 3-1. DePaul's Davidson closed out the match with a 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 win over Mansell at No. 4.

DePaul will face top-seeded Tulane Friday at 2 p.m. at the Bass-Rudd Tennis Center. East Carolina will play Marquette Friday at noon at Chickasaw Park.

DePaul 4, East Carolina 1

Singles
1. Mark Henderson, DPU vs. Paulo Baumer ECU 7-5, 3-6, 4-2 susp.
2. Robert Kotrozco, DPU vs. Felipe Fonseca, ECU 7-5, 3-6, 3-0 susp.
3. George Wang, DPU def. Henrique Viana, ECU 6-2, 6-2
4. Sam Davidson, DPU def. Darren Mansell, ECU 3-6, 6-3, 6-4
5. Jack Komar, DPU def. Florian Tremmel, ECU 6-2, 6-4
6. Nick Rose, ECU def. Eric Huffman, DPU, 7-5, 1-6, 6-0

Doubles
1. Henderson/Davidson, DPU def. Rose/Baumer, ECU 8-5
2. Huffman/Kotrozco, DPU def. Viana/Mansell, ECU 8-4
3. Gabe Inchauste/Wang DPU vs. Fonseca/Robert Stasch, ECU 6-5 susp.