Jan. 29, 2006

RICHMOND, Va. - The East Carolina women's tennis team rallied back from a season-opening setback to capture three straight victories at the Virginia Commonwealth 4-1 Invitational Friday and Saturday at the Thalhimer Tennis Center.

After suffering a 5-0 loss to a nationally-ranked VCU squad, the Lady Pirates won 13 of their next 14 matches in wins over Georgetown (4-0), Drexel (5-0) and George Mason (4-1).

Sophomores Mireia Gol and Luiza Borges posted three singles wins each, accounting for over half of ECU's 10-match victory total. In addition, three different doubles combinations tallied triumphs over the weekend.

After suffering a 5-0 loss to host VCU, the Lady Pirates cruised in wins over the Hoyas and Dragons - capturing 14 straight singles sets and four consecutive doubles sets.

Gol notched wins against Georgetown's Liz Winokur (6-0, 6-1), Drexel's Mellisa Lewis (6-0, 6-1) and George Mason's Maricel Ballester (7-5, 6-2) while Borges dropped just one game in triumphs over GU's Charlotte Guy (6-0, 6-0), DU's Jaimee Wylie (6-1, 6-0) and GMU's Alicia Van Zandt (6-0, 6-0). Senior Gillie Bailey won her first two singles matches of the season (6-2, 6-3 against the Hoyas' Stephanie Cohen and 6-1, 6-1 vs. the Dragons' Hana Stecova) before falling to George Mason's Andreea Fusea in a grueling 4-6, 7-6, 10-8 fashion.

Senior Kirstin Buchanan partnered with Presley Thomas and Zandy Overcash to record 6-0, 6-0 and 6-1, 7-5 wins over Drexel and George Mason, respectively. Anca Dumitru and Alex Smith tallied ECU's first doubles win of the season with a 6-2, 6-0 decision over Kirstin Dew/Lauren Bakios of Georgetown.

The Lady Pirates (3-1) will return to action Saturday, Feb. 4 when they will face Wofford and Georgia State in Spartanburg, S.C.

VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH 5, EAST CAROLINA 0
Singles Play
No. 1 - Tatsiana Uvarova (VCU) def. Anca Dumitru (ECU); 6-0, 6-2
No. 2 - Viktoria Konstantinova (VCU) def. Mireia Gol (ECU); 6-2, 6-3
No. 3 - Vera Petrashevitch (VCU) def. Luiza Borges (ECU); 6-4, 7-5
No. 4 - Gabrielle De Beaucoudrey (VCU) def. Hannah Priest (ECU); 6-2, 6-1
Doubles Play
No. 1 Olga Borisova/Marianna Yuferova (#17/VCU) def. Kirstin Buchanan/Gillie Bailey (ECU); 6-0, 6-1

EAST CAROLINA 4, GEORGETOWN 0
Singles Play
No. 1 - Gillie Bailey (ECU) def. Stephanie Cohen (GU); 6-2, 6-3
No. 2 - Mireia Gol (ECU) def. Liz Winokur (GU); 6-0, 6-1
No. 3 - Kirstin Buchanan (ECU) vs. Natalie Newman (GU); DNF
No. 4 - Luiza Borges (ECU) def. Charlotte Guy (GU); 6-0, 6-0
Doubles Play
No. 1 - Anca Dumitru/Alex Smith (ECU) def. Kirstin Dew/Lauren Bakios (GU); 6-2, 6-0

EAST CAROLINA 5, DREXEL 0
Singles Play
No. 1 - Anca Dumitru (ECU) def. Emily Lewis (DU); 6-4, 6-1
No. 2 - Gillie Bailey (ECU) def. Hana Stecova (DU); 6-1, 6-1
No. 3 - Mireia Gol (ECU) def. Mellissa Lewis (DU); 6-0, 6-1
No. 4 - Luiza Borges (ECU) def. Jaimee Wylie (DU); 6-1, 6-0
Doubles Play
No. 1 - Kirstin Buchanan/Presley Thomas (ECU) def. Kristy Pron/Jenn Rimmey (DU); 6-0 6-0

EAST CAROLINA 4, GEORGE MASON 1
Singles Play
No. 1 - Andreea Fusea (GMU) def. Gillie Bailey (ECU); 4-6, 7-6(6), 10-8
No. 2 - Mireia Gol (ECU) def. Maricel Ballester (GMU); 7-5, 6-2
No. 3 - Luiza Borges (ECU) def. Alicia Van Zandt (GMU); 6-0, 6-0
No. 4 - Logan Beam (ECU) def. Melissa Wooten (GMU); 6-0, 6-0
Doubles Play
No. 1 - Kirstin Buchanan/Zandy Overcash (ECU) def. Jenn Dektas/Julia Moscato (GMU); 6-1, 7-5
Team Record: East Carolina (3-1)