Phoenix Rise Above Pirates, 4-1

April 9, 2009

GREENVILLE, N.C. - Elon, ranked 66th nationally in the latest Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Poll, earned its 14 victory in its last 15 matches with a travel schedule-shortened 4-1 non-conference win over East Carolina Thursday afternoon at the ECU Tennis Complex.

The loss dropped the Pirates' spring record to 17-3, while the Phoenix improved to 17-5.

Elon rallied to capture the doubles point and followed with singles wins at the No. 2, 3 and 4 positions to secure the triumph.

After Bryan Oakley and Stephen Whitwell turned in an 8-4 win over Alberto Rojas and Cody Stauffer MacDowell in a No. 3 matchup to open pairs play, the Phoenix bounced back with victories in the No. 1 and 2 positions to garner the first point.

Carlin Murray and Oscar Podlewski earned an 8-6 decision over Aleksey Kochetov and Henrik Skalmerud at No. 2 before Damon Gooch and Philip Nemec outlasted Denis Ermilov and Jaroslav Horvath 9-8 to give Elon a 1-0 lead.

Rojas started singles play with a 6-0, 6-1 victory over Ermilov at the No. 4 slot and Podlewski added a 6-4, 6-4 triumph against Horvath at No. 2 to push the Phoenix' edge to 3-0.

Kochetov followed by pushing his spring singles record to 17-2 and producing East Carolina's only tally of the afternoon by dismissing Stauffer MacDowell 7-5, 6-2 in a No. 5 meeting before Nemec turned in the match-clincher with a 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 defeat of Skalmerud at No. 3.

East Carolina will continue its regular season-ending 10-match homestand Friday by hosting North Carolina Central beginning at 11 a.m.

NO. 66 ELON 4, EAST CAROLINA 1
Singles Play
No. 1 - Stephen Whitwell (ECU) vs. No. 69 Damon Gooch (ELON); 1-6, 6-5, unfinished
No. 2 - Oscar Podlewski (ELON) def. Jaroslav Horvath (ECU); 6-4, 6-4
No. 3 - Philip Nemec (ELON) def. Henrik Skalmerud (ECU); 6-4, 3-6, 6-3
No. 4 - Alberto Rojas (ELON) def. Denis Ermilov (ECU); 6-0, 6-1
No. 5 - Aleksey Kochetov (ECU) def. Cody Stauffer MacDowell (ELON); 7-5, 6-2
No. 6 - Bryan Oakley (ECU) vs. Carlin Murray (ELON); 6-3, 5-7, unfinished
Doubles Play
No. 1 - No. 32 Gooch/Nemec (ELON) def. Ermilov/Horvath (ECU); 9-8
No. 2 - Murray/Podlewski (ELON) def. Kochetov/Skalmerud (ECU); 8-6
No. 3 - Oakley/Whitwell (ECU) def. Rojas/Stauffer MacDowell (ELON); 8-4
Team Records: Elon 17-5, East Carolina 17-3

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