Jan. 28, 2007

RICHMOND, Va. - After extending its winning streak to three matches following a 4-1 win over Longwood, the East Carolina women's tennis team was blanked 5-0 by No. 13 Virginia Commonwealth to cap second day action at the Virginia Commonwealth 4-1 Invitational late Saturday night at the Thalhimer Tennis Center.

The Lady Pirates won three of four singles matches and earned the doubles point against Longwood before getting swept by the Rams in the nightcap.

In the opener against the Lancers, junior Mireia Gol defeated Laura Simon 6-0, 6-4 in the No. 2 singles matchup while freshmen Brooke Walter and Varinia Soler posted 6-2, 6-3 and 6-2, 6-2 wins over Ashley Melson and Brittany Huddleston at the No. 3 and No. 4 slots, respectively. Junior Alex Smith and sophomore Presley Thomas gained the doubles point by picking up a 7-5, 6-1 triumph over Romana Bucur and Lexi Torrice.

Virginia Commonwealth, ranked as the 13th-best women's squad nationally in the Fila Collegiate Tennis Poll, won all eight sets in singles play and captured the doubles point by a 6-1, 6-0 score. Walter turned in East Carolina's top effort against the Rams, pushing VCU's No. 1 player, Maria Klokotzky, to a seventh point in the second set before falling 6-2, 7-5.

East Carolina will close out tourney play Sunday afternoon with matches against Delaware and George Mason.

EAST CAROLINA 4, LONGWOOD 1
Singles Play
No. 1 - Elena Triebskorn (LU) def. Luiza Borges (ECU); 6-2, 6-4
No. 2 - Mireia Gol (ECU) def. Laura Simon (LU); 6-0, 6-4
No. 3 - Brooke Walter (ECU) def. Ashley Melson (LU); 6-2, 6-3
No. 4 - Varinia Soler (ECU) def. Brittany Huddleston (LU); 6-2, 6-2
Doubles Play
No. 1 - Alex Smith/Presley Thomas (ECU) def. Romana Bucur/Lexi Torrice (LU); 7-5, 6-1
Team Records: East Carolina 3-1, Longwood 0-2

NO. 13 VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH 5, EAST CAROLINA 0
Singles Play
No. 1 - Maria Klokotzky (VCU) def. Brooke Walter (ECU); 6-2, 7-5
No. 2 - Viktoria Konstantinova (VCU) def. Varinia Soler (ECU); 6-3, 6-2
No. 3 - Olga Borisova (VCU) def. Hannah Priest (ECU); 6-0, 6-0
No. 4 - Olena Leonchuk (VCU) def. Mireia Gol (ECU); 6-0, 6-0
Doubles Play
No. 1 - Vera Petrashevitch/Marianna Yuferova (VCU) def. Alex Smith/Presley Thomas (ECU); 6-1, 6-0
Team Records: East Carolina 3-2, Virginia Commonwealth 4-0