East Carolina University
UAB
ECU Handles UAB In C-USA Tourney Opener
April 17, 2008 | Women's Tennis
April 17, 2008
HOUSTON, Texas - East Carolina overcome a doubles point loss with four singles wins to advance to its third quarterfinal appearance in four years in the Conference USA Women's Tennis Championship Tournament after recording a 4-2 victory over UAB in the opening round Thursday afternoon at the John E. Hoff Courts.
The eighth-seeded Lady Pirates (17-5) will move on to face No. 1 Tulsa, which earned a first-round bye, in a match scheduled for 11:00 a.m. (ET) Friday. The ninth-seeded Blazers dropped their overall record to 9-6 with the loss.
Mireia Gol sparked East Carolina's comeback by posting the Lady Pirates' first point to trim an early 2-0 deficit in half. After Gol's 7-5, 7-5 victory over Antonia Nugent at the No. 2 position, Tamara Sachs, Brooke Walter and Varinia Soler each rallied for three-set triumphs to secure the team win. Sachs handled Ceylan Engin (4-6, 6-0, 6-0) in a No. 6 match, while Walter defeated Jenny Cape (6-7, 6-2, 6-3) at No. 4 and Soler hung on for a 6-4, 5-7, 6-1 victory over Gulsah Esen at No. 2 to enable ECU to advance.
The Blazers used wins at the No. 1 and No. 3 doubles slots to open the match with a 1-0 lead. Evelien Strikjer and Nugent handed Alex Smith and Walter an 8-5 setback before Cape and Seden Soyalp ended pairs play early with an 8-6 triumph over Hannah Priest and Soler.
No. 8 EAST CAROLINA 4, No. 9 UAB 2
Singles Play
No. 1 - Evelien Strikjer (UAB) def. Jessica Cook (ECU); 7-6, 6-3
No. 2 - Varinia Soler (ECU) def. Gulsah Esen (UAB); 6-4, 5-7, 6-1
No. 3 - Mireia Gol (ECU) def. Antonia Nugent (UAB); 7-5, 7-5
No. 4 - Brooke Walter (ECU) def. Jenny Cape (UAB); 6-7, 6-2, 6-3
No. 5 - Luiza Borges (ECU) vs. Giorgia Romeo (UAB); 6-7, 6-2, 4-2, unfinished
No. 6 - Tamara Sachs (ECU) def. Ceylan Engin (UAB); 4-6, 6-0, 6-0
Doubles Play
No. 1 - Nugent/Strikjer (UAB) def. Alex Smith/Walter (ECU); 8-5
No. 2 - Borges/Gol (ECU) vs. Esen/Romeo (UAB); unfinished
No. 3 - Cape/Seden Soyalp (UAB) def. Hannah Priest/Soler (ECU); 8-6
Team Records: UAB 9-6, East Carolina 17-5
