March 19, 2011

MT. PLEASANT, S.C. - Behind the strength of a doubles sweep and five straight-set singles victories, the College of Charleston posted a 6-1 non-conference women's tennis triumph over East Carolina at Patriots Point Saturday afternoon and halted the Lady Pirates' two-match win streak.

The College of Charleston (7-5) took an early 1-0 advantage after capturing all three doubles bouts. Caroline and Christin Newman teamed to down ECU's Manon Bissat and Neena Wanko 8-2 in a No. 3 meeting before the Cougars' Kinsey Casey and Katie Lee secured the tally by defeating Natalie Collins and Petra Vogel 8-4 at No. 2. The Lady Pirates' top-seeded tandem of Jessica Cook and Audrey LePottier fell to Emma Hayman and Irene Viana by a similar score of 8-4 to close out pairs play.

Hayman started the Cougars' singles success with a victory at No. 2, cruising past Vogel 6-0, 6-1, while Casey handed LePottier a 6-2, 6-2 setback at No. 4 for a 3-0 lead. Lee clinched the College of Charleston's team victory when she dismissed Yilian Zhang 6-4, 6-3 at the No. 6 slot before Caroline Newman added a 6-2, 6-1 decision over Collins at No. 3 and Christin Newman handled Cook 6-3, 6-4 at the top of the lineup.

Wanko produced ECU's only triumph of the afternoon by outlasting Keely Mulligan 3-6, 6-1, 6-3 in a No. 5 battle.

East Carolina (12-4) will close out its brief two-match roadswing by visiting UNC Wilmington Wednesday at 2 p.m.

COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON 6, EAST CAROLINA 1
Singles Play
No. 1 - Christin Newman (CofC) def. Jessica Cook (ECU) 6-3, 6-4
No. 2 - Emma Hayman (CofC) def. Petra Vogel (ECU) 6-0, 6-1
No. 3 - Caroline Newman (CofC) def. Natalie Collins (ECU), 6-2, 6-1
No. 4 - Kinsey Casey (CofC) def. Audrey LePottier (ECU) 6-2, 6-2
No. 5 - Neena Wanko (ECU) def. Keely Mulligan (CofC) 3-6, 6-1, 6-3
No. 6 - Katie Lee (CofC) def. Yilian Zhang (ECU) 6-4, 6-3
Doubles Play
No. 1 - Hayman/Irene Viana (CofC) def. Cook/LePottier (ECU) 8-4
No. 2 - Casey/Lee (CofC) def. Collins/Vogel (ECU) 8-4
No. 3 - Caroline Newman/Christin Newman (CofC) def. Manon Bissat/Wanko (ECU) 8-2
Team Records: East Carolina 12-4, College of Charleston 7-5