Pirates Open Season With A Pair Of Victories

Jan. 27, 2011

WHITE SULPHUR SPRING, W.Va. --- The East Carolina men's tennis squad opened the 2011 season with a pair of victories Thursday afternoon, sweeping a split doubleheader with a 5-2 win against Liberty and a 7-0 triumph over Bluefield State at the Green Brier Sporting Club.

Massimo Mannino, Henrik Skalmerud and Joran Vliegen each won a pair of singles matches, while David Masciorini, Simon Escourrou, Stian Tvedt, John Schmitt and Mario Martinez each claimed victory in their lone singles match of the day.

After dropping the doubles point to Liberty, ECU followed by taking five of six singles battles to notch the team win. The Pirates outscored Bluefield State 24-2 in three doubles victories before sweeping the singles matches.

Mannino, Skalmerud, Vliegen, Schmitt and Martinez all came out on top in singles play at the No. 2, No. 3, No. 4, No. 5 and No. 6 positions against the Flames. Mannino rolled past Tristan Stayt (6-3, 6-1), Skelmerud defeated Piotr Krula (6-3, 7-5), Vliegen dismissed Giancarlo Lemmi (6-3, 6-0), Schmitt handled Shea Thomas (6-1, 6-3) and Martinez dispatched Mandeep Yadav (6-2, 7-6 (3)). Liberty booked its only tally when Siim Tuus outlasted Jaroslav Horvath 6-2, 7-5 in a No. 1 matchup.

Against Bluefield State in the second match, the Pirates lost just two sets in doubles play and posted 12 straight-set singles victories. Mannino (No. 1), Skalmerud (No. 2), Vliegen (No. 3), Masciorini (No. 4), Escourrou (No. 5) and Tvedt (No. 6) combined to post 72-18 ledger to help ECU cruise past Bluefield State in convincing fashion.

The Pirates will return to action Tuesday, Feb. 1 when they return home for matches against Mount Olive and Chowan. The Mount Olive match is scheduled for a 2 p.m. start followed by the Chowan match at 5:30 p.m.

EAST CAROLINA 5, LIBERTY 2
Singles Play
No. 1 - Siimus Tuus (LU) def. Jaroslav Horvath (ECU); 6-2, 7-5
No. 2 - Massimo Mannino (ECU) def. Trsitan Stayt (LU); 6-3, 6-1
No. 3 - Henrik Skalmerud (ECU) def. Piotr Krula (LU); 6-3, 7-5
No. 4 - Joran Vliegen (ECU) def. Giancarlo Lemmi (LU); 6-3, 6-0
No. 5 - John Schmitt (ECU) def. Shea Thomas (LU); 6-1, 6-3
No. 6 - Mario Martinez (ECU) def. Mandeep Yadav (LU); 6-2, 7-3 (6)
Doubles Play
No. 1 - Horvath/Vliegen (ECU) def. Thomas/Stayt (LU); 8-5
No. 2 - Stayt/Lemmi (LU); def. Skalmerud/Tvedt (ECU); 8-6
No. 3 - Krula/Yadav (LU) def. Mannino/Schmitt (ECU); 9-7

EAST CAROLINA 7, BLUEFIELD STATE 0
Singles Play
No. 1 - Massimo Mannino (ECU) def. Shukir Kapur (BSU); 6-0, 6-2
No. 2 - Henrik Skalmerud (ECU) def. Marcin Majchrzax (BSU); 6-3, 6-3
No. 3 - Joran Vliegen (ECU) def. Jesus Sanchez (BSU); 6-1, 6-0
No. 4 - David Masciorini (ECU) def. Vlad Catlan (BSU); 6-2, 6-0
No. 5 - Simon Escourrou (ECU) def. Dusan Zivcovik (BSU); 6-4, 6-0
No. 6 - Stian Tvedt (ECU) def. S. Gantam (BSU); 6-2, 6-1
Doubles Play
No. 1 - Horvath/Vliegen (ECU) def. Zivcovik/Kapur (BSU); 8-1
No. 2 -Skalmerud/Tvedt (ECU) def. Majchrzax/Sanchez (BSU); 8-1
No. 3 - Mannino/Schmitt (ECU) def. Catlan/Gantam (BSU); 8-0

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