Feb. 4, 2006

SPARTANBURG, S.C. - The Lady Pirates extended their winning streak to five with a pair of non-conference tennis victories over Wofford and Georgia State Saturday afternoon at the John E. Reeves Tennis Center.

East Carolina swept the host Terriers 3-0 before closing out the action by edging Georgia State in a neutral court meeting.

Each match was played in a 4-1 format, which includes four singles competitions and one doubles contest. The first team to three points is declared the winner.

In the opener, the Lady Pirates quickly gained control of the match when the doubles team of senior Kirstin Buchanan and freshman Presley Thomas captured a 6-4, 6-1 win over Wofford's Adriane Hodges and Laura Lynn Williams.

ECU secured the team victory when sophomores Mireia Gol and Luiza Borges posted singles wins at the No. 3 and No. 4 slots over Cayley Wetzig (6-4, 6-2) and Ashley Page (6-2, 6-2), respectively. Other singles matches featuring freshman Anca Dumitru (No. 1) and senior Gillie Bailey (No. 2) were halted once the outcome was determined.

In the nightcap against the Lady Panthers, Gol, Borges and the tandem of Buchanan/Thomas repeated their earlier success by tallying wins to help ECU hold on for a 3-2 victory. Gol dispatched GSU's Rachel Malina 6-4, 7-6 while Borges fought back from an opening set loss to produce a 6-7, 6-1, 6-2 win over Mateja Podgorsek which helped overcome a pair of setbacks by Dumitru (6-2, 6-2 to Anne Breiholtz at No. 1) and Bailey (6-3, 6-2 to Martina Nitkova at No. 2).

Buchanan and Thomas earned a 6-2, 6-2 doubles triumph against Brittany Smith and Kiera Strickland to open the scoring.

EAST CAROLINA 3, WOFFORD 0
Singles Play
No. 1 - Anca Dumitru (ECU) vs. Ellen Rogers (WOF); DNF
No. 2 - Gillie Bailey (ECU) vs. Tara Hartness (WOF); DNF
No. 3 - Mireia Gol (ECU) def. Cayley Wetzig (WOF); 6-4, 6-2
No. 4 - Luiza Borges (ECU) def. Ashley Page (WOF); 6-2, 6-2
Doubles Play
No. 1 - Kirstin Buchanan/Presley Thomas (ECU) def. Adriane Hodges/Laura Lynn Williams (WOF), 6-4, 6-1
Team Records: East Carolina (4-1), Wofford (1-2)

EAST CAROLINA 3, GEORGIA STATE 2
Singles Play
No. 1 - Anne Breiholtz (GSU) def. Anca Dumitru (ECU); 6-2, 6-2
No. 2 - Martina Nitkova (GSU) def. Gillie Bailey (ECU); 6-3, 6-2
No. 3 - Mireia Gol (ECU) def. Rachel Malina (GSU) 6-4, 7-6
No. 4 - Luiza Borges (ECU) def. Mateja Podgorsek (GSU); 6-7, 6-1, 6-2
Doubles Play
No. 1 - Kirstin Buchanan/Presley Thomas (ECU) def. Brittany Smith/Kiera Strickland (GSU), 6-2, 6-2
Team Records: East Carolina (5-1), Georgia State (0-1)