Sept. 30, 2008

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - Senior Aleksey Kochetov battled his way to the championship of the A2 Flight, highlighting a successful weekend for the East Carolina men's tennis team at the UNC Fall Invitational, held inside the Cone-Kenfield Tennis Stadium. The squad combined to produce 11 singles wins and four doubles triumphs in its second competition of the fall season.

Kochetov won two three-set matches against Joao Pallielo of Belmont (4-6, 7-5, 6-3) and Eric Turner of N.C. State (3-6, 6-4, 6-3) to qualify for the A2 Flight championship tilt. In that match, he fell to Andrew Crone of North Carolina in straight sets (6-3, 6-4) to claim second. Sophomore Dave Masciorini lost in the first round of the C1 singles draw to Filip Rams from Temple (6-3, 6-0) but blazed through the consolation bracket, winning his final three matches over Radek Langer of South Carolina State (6-4, 6-2), Matthew Sands from Georgia Southern (6-4, 6-1) and Belmont's Felipe Lima (7-5, 7-6).

Junior Stephen Whitwell was the other Pirate to post a winning record, taking tilts from John Waters of Navy (6-2, 6-2) and Chase Helpingstine from Elon (2-6, 6-2, 6-3) to reach the semifinals of the B1 Flight.

Sophomore Jaroslav Horvath teamed with Kochetov in doubles action to beat Elon tandem Carlin Murray and Helpingstine (8-6) before downing Kinshuk Sharma and Ryan Ybarra from UNC Wilmington (8-5). Additionally, Masciorini and Skalmerud paired to post two wins over Alonso Rodriguez and Derrick Davison of Georgia Southern (8-1) and Coastal Carolina's Carlo Checchia and Dorian Sovic (8-5).

East Carolina will take some time off before resuming fall competition at the UNC Wilmington Invitational Oct. 24-26.