March 14, 2013

DAVIDSON, N.C. - Elise Held and Catherine Wood's 8-6 victory over Dana Gray and Danielle Terpko in a No. 3 doubles match earned the Wildcats the opening point that eventually proved to be the difference as Davidson edged No. 72 East Carolina 4-3 in non-conference women's tennis action Thursday afternoon at the Covington Tennis Courts.

The Wildcats, owners of a four-match win streak, improved to 7-2 overall. The Pirates, who made their first appearance in the ITA polls since 2008 earlier this week, dropped to 7-4.

Davidson's tandem of Elaine Cummer and Brites Moniz-Soares opened doubles play with an 8-5 victory over Melis Tanik and Yilian Zhang at the No. 1 slot before Held and Wood clinched the initial tally. ECU's Nicole LaDuca and Neena Wanko battled Nisha Crouser and Stephani Synn in a No. 2 meeting but fell 8-7 to close out pairs action.

The two teams split six singles matches, four being decided in straight sets.

After Terpko and Tanik posted 6-1, 6-1 and 6-3, 6-1 triumphs at the No. 4 and No. 2 slots, respectively, to help the Pirates erase the deficit and take a 2-1 lead, LaDuca extended the margin by downing Held 6-2, 7-5 in a No. 5 matchup. The Wildcats rallied back with three-straight victories, using Crouser's 6-3, 6-7, 7-5 win over Zhang at No. 3 to outlast ECU.

Davidson also claimed the No. 6 and No. 1 matches as Frizzi Bschorer dismissed Gray 6-3, 7-6 and Moniz-Soares bested Wanko 6-4, 0-6, 6-3.

The Pirates will play the second match of their three-day Spring Break trip when they visit Presbyterian on Friday at 2 p.m.

DAVIDSON 4, No. 72 EAST CAROLINA 3
Singles Play
No. 1 - Brites Moniz-Soares (DAV) def. Neena Wanko (ECU) 6-4, 0-6, 6-3
No. 2 - Melis Tanik (ECU) def. Elaina Cummer (DAV) 6-3, 6-1
No. 3 - Nisha Crouser (DAV) def. Yilian Zhang (ECU) 6-3, 6-7, 7-5
No. 4 - Danielle Terpko (ECU) def. Catherine Wood (DAV) 6-1, 6-1
No. 5 - Nicole LaDuca (ECU) def. Elise Held (DAV) 6-2, 7-5
No. 6 - Frizzi Bschorer (DAV) def. Dana Gray (ECU) 6-3, 7-6
Doubles Play
No. 1 - Cummer/Moniz-Soares (DAV) def. Tanik/Zhang (ECU) 8-5
No. 2 - Crouser/Stephani Synn (DAV) def. LaDuca/Wanko (ECU) 8-7
No. 3 - Held/Wood (DAV) def. Gray/Terpko (ECU) 8-6
Team Records: East Carolina 7-4, Davidson 7-2