Feb. 9, 2013

GREENSBORO, N.C. - East Carolina posted straight-set wins in all 12 singles matches and captured six straight doubles bouts while recording consecutive 7-0 non-conference victories over North Carolina A&T and Winston-Salem State in women's tennis doubleheader action Saturday afternoon.

The pair of triumphs improved the Pirates' spring dual match record to 4-1, while the Aggies and Rams dropped to 0-4 and 0-2, respectively.

In the opener against N.C. A&T, ECU combined to post a 24-5 doubles ledger and a 72-2 singles mark during its shutout. Tandems Melis Tanik/Yilian Zhang and Vanessa Fuleihan/Karling Watson recorded 8-0 and 8-2 victories at the No. 1 and No. 3 positions, respectively, to help the Pirates tally the doubles point, while Tanik, Abby Richmond, Dana Gray and Watson each registered straight-set 6-0, 6-0 wins at the No. 2, No. 4, No. 5 and No. 6 slots to lead ECU in singles play.

Against Winston-Salem State in the nightcap, the Pirates rolled to a 24-4 pairs record before following with a 72-9 singles mark. Tanik and Zhang, along with Richmond and Danielle Terpko, logged 8-1 tandem triumphs to garner East Carolina's first point. In singles play action, Zhang and Gray produced identical 6-0, 6-0 wins over Kayla Carter and Taylor Harris at the No. 2 and No. 5 spots to set the tone for the sweep.

The Pirates will return to action Friday when they open a four-match homestand by welcoming Charlotte to Greenville for a 1 p.m. meeting.

EAST CAROLINA 7, NORTH CAROLINA A&T 0
Singles Play
No. 1 - Neena Wanko (ECU) def. Kimberly Stalling (NCAT) 6-1, 6-0
No. 2 - Melis Tanik ECU) def. Victorea Austin (NCAT) 6-0, 6-0
No. 3 - Danielle Terpko (ECU) def. Jayla Scott (NCAT) 6-0, 6-1
No. 4 - Abby Richmond (ECU) def. April Burrage (NCAT) 6-0, 6-0
No. 5 - Dana Gray (ECU) def. Unique Hawkins (NCAT) 6-0, 6-0
No. 6 - Karling Watson (ECU) def. Chloe McSwain (NCAT) 6-0, 6-0
Doubles Play
No. 1 - Tanik/Yilian Zhang (ECU) def. Nianna Henry/Stalling (NCAT) 8-0
No. 2 - Gray/Terpko (ECU) def. Burrage/Scott (NCAT) 8-3
No. 3 - Vanessa Fuleihan/Watson (ECU) def. Austin/Takeyrah Reid (NCAT) 8-2
Team Records: East Carolina 3-1, North Carolina A&T 0-4

EAST CAROLINA 7, WINSTON-SALEM STATE 0
Singles Play
No. 1 - Neena Wanko (ECU) def. Sloane Holmes (WSSU) 6-0, 6-2
No. 2 - Yilian Zhang (ECU) def. Kayla Carter (WSSU) 6-0, 6-0
No. 3 - Danielle Terpko (ECU) def. Bianka Locklear (WSSU) 6-0, 6-1
No. 4 - Abby Richmond (ECU) def. Kalin Jarvis (WSSU) 6-0, 6-3
No. 5 - Dana Gray (ECU) def. Taylor Harris (WSSU) 6-0, 6-0
No. 6 - Vanessa Fuleihan (ECU) def. Carmen Grady (WSSU) 6-1, 6-2
Doubles Play
No. 1 - Melis Tanik/Zhang (ECU) def. Jarvis/Locklear (WSSU) 8-1
No. 2 - Richmond/Terpko (ECU) def. Carter/Holmes (WSSU) 8-1
No. 3 - Fuleihan/Karling Watson (ECU) def. Grady/Harris (WSSU) 8-2
Team Records: East Carolina 4-1, Winston-Salem State 0-2