March 16, 2013

GREENVILLE, S.C. - Furman bounced back from a doubles setback by claiming five of six singles matches to hand No. 72 East Carolina a 5-2 non-conference defeat in women's tennis action Saturday afternoon at the Mickel Tennis Center.

The Pirates (8-5) jumped out to an early 1-0 advantage by capturing the doubles point. After the Paladins' Lauren Kline and Alex Moreno-Kaste opened with an 8-3 victory over Nicole LaDuca and Neena Wanko at the No. 1 position, ECU's tandem of Dana Gray and Danielle Terpko followed with an 8-5 win over Jenny Porter and Kelly Sullivan at No. 3 to even pairs play. At the No. 2 slot, Melis Tanik and Yilian Zhang outlasted Amanda Murray and Michele Stanford 8-6 to clinch the opening tally.

In singles play, Furman (5-6) claimed the first four matches to seal the team triumph as Murray (No. 5) used a strong finish to defeat LaDuca by a 6-4, 6-0 count, Margaret Boyette (No. 6) downed Abby Richmond 6-2, 6-3, Moreno-Kaste (No. 2) handled Tanik 6-4, 6-2 and Stanford (No. 4) dismissed Terpko 6-4, 6-4.

Wanko enjoyed the Pirates' only singles success, topping Kline 6-3, 6-4 in a No. 1 battle before Katherine Oudin produced the Paladins' fifth and final point by rallying past Zhang 6-7, 6-0, 1-0 at No. 3.

East Carolina will close out its five-match road trip, which began March 2 with a loss at No. 1 North Carolina, by traveling to Lynchburg. Va., on Tuesday for a 1:30 p.m. meeting with Liberty.

FURMAN 5, No. 72 EAST CAROLINA 2
Singles Play
No. 1 - Neena Wanko (ECU) def. Lauren Kline (FUR) 6-3, 6-4
No. 2 - Alex Moreno-Kaste (FUR) def. Melis Tanik (ECU) 6-4, 6-2
No. 3 - Katherine Oudin (FUR) def. Yilian Zhang (ECU) 6-7, 6-0, 1-0
No. 4 - Michele Stanford (FUR) def. Danielle Terpko (ECU) 6-4, 6-4
No. 5 - Amanda Murray (FUR) def. Nicole LaDuca (ECU) 6-4, 6-0
No. 6 - Margaret Boyette (FUR) def. Abby Richmond (ECU) 6-2, 6-3
Doubles Play
No. 1 - Kline/Moreno-Kaste (FUR) def. LaDuca/Wanko (ECU) 8-3
No. 2 - Tanik/Zhang (ECU) def. Murray/Stanford (FUR) 8-6
No. 3 - Dana Gray/Terpko (ECU) def. Jenny Porter/Kelly Sullivan (FUR) 8-5
Team Records: East Carolina 8-5, Furman 5-6