East Carolina University
Old Dominion
Pirates Rally To Edge Old Dominion 4-3
February 07, 2009 | Men's Tennis
Feb. 7, 2009
NORFOLK, Va. - East Carolina rallied back after suffering a doubles sweep to win four of six singles matches, three in three-set fashion, and post a 4-3 non-conference victory over Old Dominion late Friday night at the Folkes-Stevens Indoor Tennis Center.
The victory improved the Pirates' spring record to 3-0 while the Monarchs, who defeated their first nationally-ranked opponent of the year earlier in the week by handing St. Mary's (Calif.) a setback, dropped to 7-4.
For the second time this season, senior Aleksey Kochetov provided the match winner with a 7-6, 3-6, 6-4 victory over Krzysztof Muzalewski at the No. 5 position. Moments earlier, Henrik Skalmerud completed a 1-6, 7-5, 6-0 win to outlast Alex Funkhouser at No. 4 and Bryan Oakley fought past Dan Couzens (6-2, 2-6, 6-0) at No. 6 for two of the Pirates' final three points.
Stephen Whitwell produced East Carolina's first tally, disposing of Yakov Diskin 6-1, 6-1 at the No. 3 slot after Old Dominion opened singles play with triumphs at the top two positions.
The Monarchs got off to an early 1-0 lead by sweeping the doubles action, using 8-0, 8-5 and 8-4 wins.
The Pirates will close out their season-opening four-match road swing Saturday by facing off against Norfolk State.
EAST CAROLINA 4, OLD DOMINION 3
Singles Play
No. 1 - Aleksandr Seleznev (ODU) def. Jaroslav Horvath (ECU); 6-2, 6-2
No. 2 - Tobias Fanselow (ODU) def. Denis Ermilov (ECU); 6-0, 6-3
No. 3 - Stephen Whitwell (ECU) def. Yakov Diskin (ODU); 6-1, 6-1
No. 4 - Henrik Skalmerud (ECU) def. Alex Funkhouser (ODU); 1-6, 7-5, 6-0
No. 5 - Aleksey Kochetov (ECU) def. Krzysztof Muzalewski (ODU); 7-6 (5), 3-6, 6-4
No. 6 - Bryan Oakley (ECU) def. Dan Couzens (ODU); 6-2, 2-6, 6-0
Doubles Play
No. 1 - No. 43 Fanselow/Seleznev (ODU) def. Ermilov/Horvath (ECU); 8-0
No. 2 - Matt Fawcett/Ben Marks (ODU) def. Kochetov/Skalmerud (ECU); 8-5
No. 3 - Couzens/Funkhouser (ODU) def. Oakley/Whitwell (ECU); 8-4
Team Records: East Carolina 3-0, Old Dominion 7-4
