Feb. 10, 2007

GREENVILLE, N.C. - After playing its first 10 matches on the road, the East Carolina women's tennis squad finally opened the home portion of its schedule and responded by posting a non-conference doubleheader sweep with a 5-2 win over Appalachian State and a 7-0 shutout of North Carolina A&T Saturday afternoon at the ECU Tennis Complex.

In the opener against the Mountaineers, ECU clinched the doubles point after similar 8-3 wins by tandems Luiza Borges/Mireia Gol and Alex Smith/Brooke Walter before following by taking four of six singles events to earn the team victory and snap a brief two-match losing skid.

Borges, Gol, Walter and Varinia Soler were all victorious in singles play at the No. 2, No. 3, No. 4 and No. 5 positions, respectively. Borges rolled past Monica Tomas (6-1, 6-2), Gol defeated Lauren Holton (6-0, 6-3), Walter outlasted Amanda Cash (6-4, 6-7, 1-0) and Soler dispatched Frances Blanton (6-2, 6-0).

ASU booked its pair of victories when Anja Gugger handled Anca Dumitru (6-2, 7-5) at the No. 1 slot and Caroline Mauch rallied past Smith (6-4, 4-6, 1-0) at No. 6.

In the afternoon tilt against North Carolina A&T, the Lady Pirates claimed six singles matches and three doubles events - winning all of the possible 15 sets in dominating fashion.

After ECU posted the doubles tally, Gol handed Tina Ruffin a 6-1, 6-0 loss at No. 1 for the Lady Pirates' second point. At No. 2, Borges booked a 6-2, 6-1 triumph over Jaymee Jones before Soler knocked off Terika Palmer in the No. 3 contest (6-1, 6-0) and Smith dealt Porche Martin a 6-0, 6-0 setback at No. 4.

The Lady Pirates completed the singles sweep with Zandy Overcash's 6-1, 6-1 win over Revorn Ferguson at No. 5, and Walter's 6-0, 6-0 rout of Destiny Williams at No. 6.

East Carolina (8-4) will be back in action Thursday when it travels to Davidson for a 2:00 p.m. match against the Wildcats

EAST CAROLINA 5, APPALACHIAN STATE 2
Singles Play
No. 1 - Anja Gugger (ASU) def. Anca Dumitru (ECU); 6-2, 7-5
No. 2 - Luiza Borges (ECU) def. Monica Tomas (ASU); 6-1, 6-2
No. 3 - Mireia Gol (ECU) def. Lauren Holton (ASU); 6-0, 6-3
No. 4 - Brooke Walter (ECU) def. Amanda Cash (ASU); 6-3, 6-7, 1-0
No. 5 - Varinia Soler (ECU) def. Frances Blanton (ASU); 6-2, 6-0
No. 6 - Caroline Mauch (ASU) def. Alex Smith (ECU); 6-4, 4-6, 1-0
Doubles Play
No. 1 - Gugger/Tomas (ASU) def. Dumitru/Soler (ECU); 8-7
No. 2 - Borges/Gol (ECU) def. Blanton/Holton (ASU); 8-3
No. 3 - Smith/Walter (ECU) def. Cash/Mauch (ASU); 8-3
Team Records: East Carolina 7-4, Appalachian State 2-2

EAST CAROLINA 7, NORTH CAROLINA A&T 0
Singles Play
No. 1 - Mireia Gol (ECU) def. Tina Ruffin (NCAT); 6-1, 6-0
No. 2 - Luiza Borges (ECU) def. Jaymee Jones (NCAT); 6-2, 6-1
No. 3 - Varinia Soler (ECU) def. Terika Palmer (NCAT); 6-1, 6-0
No. 4 - Alex Smith (ECU) def. Porche Martin (NCAT); 6-0, 6-0
No. 5 - Zandy Overcash (ECU) def. Revorn Ferguson (NCAT); 6-1, 6-1
No. 6 - Brooke Walter (ECU) def. Destiny Williams (NCAT); 6-0, 6-0
Doubles Play
No. 1 - Borges/Gol (ECU) def. Jones/Ruffin (NCAT); 8-3
No. 2 - Smith/Soler (ECU) def. Martin/Palmer (NCAT); 8-0
No. 3 - Overcash/Walter (ECU) def. Ferguson/Williams (NCAT); 8-1
Team Records: East Carolina 8-4, N.C. A&T 1-4