March 11, 2011

GREENVILLE, N.C. - East Carolina swept the doubles point and captured four singles matches, three in convincing straight-set fashion, to down visiting Southern Miss, 5-2, in Conference USA women's tennis action Friday afternoon at the ECU Tennis Complex.

The Lady Pirates improved their overall record to 11-3 and evened their league slate at 1-1 with the victory, while USM fell to 4-8 and 1-1.

Jessica Cook and Audrey LePottier defeated Stephanie Dellocono and Vroni van Berlo 8-4 at the No. 1 slot to give ECU the doubles point and a 1-0 lead after No. 2 tandem Natalie Collins and Petra Vogel posted an earlier 8-3 triumph over Asa Bengtson and Elja van Berlo. Freshmen Manon Bissat and Neena Wanko closed out pairs play with an 8-5 win over Zoë Lee and Shannon Rogers at No. 3 to push their doubles record to 9-3 this spring.

East Carolina and Southern Miss split the first pair of singles matches as Wanko dismissed Lee 6-2, 6-2 in a No. 5 matchup before the Golden Eagles' Elja van Berlo handed LePottier a 6-2, 6-4 setback at No. 4.

The Lady Pirates quickly answered by using a 6-3, 6-3 victory by Bissat over Rogers at No. 6 before clinching the match on Cook's 6-4, 6-4 triumph over Vroni van Berlo at the No. 1 position. Collins followed by rallying past Dellocono 4-6, 6-4, 1-0 in a No. 3 battle for ECU's fifth tally.

East Carolina will return to action Saturday when it hosts Coastal Carolina for a non-conference match scheduled to begin at 10:00 a.m.

EAST CAROLINA 5, SOUTHERN MISS 2
Singles Play
No. 1 - Jessica Cook (ECU) def. Vroni van Berlo (USM) 6-4, 6-4
No. 2 - Asa Bengtson (USM) def. Petra Vogel (ECU) 3-6, 3-2, retired (injury)
No. 3 - Natalie Collins (ECU) def. Stephanie Dellocono (USM) 4-6, 6-4, 1-0
No. 4 - Elja van Berlo (USM) def. Audrey LePottier (ECU) 6-2, 6-4
No. 5 - Neena Wanko (ECU) def. Zoë Lee (USM) 6-2, 6-2
No. 6 - Manon Bissat (ECU) def. Shannon Rogers (USM) 6-3, 6-3
Doubles Play
No. 1 - Cook/LePottier (ECU) def. Dellocono/V. van Berlo (USM) 8-4
No. 2 - Collins/Vogel (ECU) def. Bengtson/E. van Berlo (USM) 8-3
No. 3 - Bissat/Wanko (ECU) def. Lee/Rogers (USM) 8-5
Team Records: Southern Miss 4-8, 1-1; East Carolina 11-3, 1-1