March 13, 2006

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - Third-ranked North Carolina improved its record to 16-2 with a 7-0 sweep of East Carolina Saturday in non-conference women's tennis action at the Cone-Kenfield Tennis Center.

The Tar Heels, rated as the third-best squad nationally in the latest Fila Collegiate Tennis Poll, efficiently defeated the Lady Pirates (10-5) by losing only 11 total games in six singles matches, which included a pair of 6-0, 6-0 victories at the No. 2 and No. 5 slots.

Sophomore Mireia Gol provided the toughest competition before falling to UNC's Tanja Markovich 6-3, 6-1 in a No. 3 singles matchup. Anca Dumitru (6-1, 6-2 loss at No. 1) and Hannah Priest (6-2, 6-1 setback at No. 6) each captured three games before falling in their respective competitions.

Although North Carolina clinched the doubles point to open play by virtue of 8-2 and 8-3 victories in the No. 2 and No. 3 positions, East Carolina did record an impressive win at No. 1 when seniors Gillie Bailey and Kirstin Buchanan handed the No. 45-ranked tandem of Meg Fanjoy and Austin Smith an 8-7 defeat after securing a 7-2 nod in the tie-breaker.

East Carolina will continue its spring break tour Tuesday with a match at Richmond before playing at North Carolina A&T (Wednesday), Gardner-Webb (Thursday) and Davidson (Friday) before returning home.

No. 3 North Carolina 7, East Carolina 0
Singles Play
No. 1 - No. 25 Jenna Long (UNC) def. Anca Dumitru (ECU); 6-1, 6-2
No. 2 - Austin Smith (UNC) def. Gillie Bailey (ECU); 6-0, 6-0
No. 3 - Tanja Markovic (UNC) def. Mireia Gol (ECU); 6-3, 6-1
No. 4 - Laura Reichert (UNC) def. Kirstin Buchanan (ECU); 6-0, 6-1
No. 5 - Meg Fanjoy (UNC) def. Luiza Borges (ECU); 6-0, 6-0
No. 6 - Alex Jurewitz (UNC) def. Hannah Priest (ECU); 6-2, 6-1
Doubles Play
No. 1 - Bailey/Buchanan (ECU) def. No. 45 Fanjoy/Smith (UNC); 8-7 (7-2)
No. 2 - Long/Reichert (UNC) def. Borges/Gol (ECU); 8-2
No. 3 - Hanes Harris/Jurewitz (UNC) def. Dumitru/Presley Thomas (ECU); 8-3
Team Record: East Carolina (10-5), North Carolina (16-2)