East Carolina University
Temple
East Carolina Stops Temple 4-1 To Capture American Opener
March 04, 2015 | Women's Tennis
GREENVILLE, N.C. - East Carolina's No. 1 and No. 3 doubles teams each battled back from Temple match point serves to capture the opening tally and set the tone for a 4-1 American Conference victory over the Owls Wednesday at the ECU Indoor Tennis Facility.
After Temple posted a 7-5 win in a No. 2 meeting, the Pirates' No. 1 tandem of Michelle Castro and Nicole LaDuca and No. 3 duo of Dana Gray and Katie Hoch each trailed 5-3 in their respective matches before recording similar 7-6 triumphs to stake ECU to a 1-0 advantage.
Castro kept the momentum rolling in singles play by cruising past Temple's Yana Khon 6-1, 6-2 at the No. 2 slot before LaDuca made it 3-0 Pirates with a 6-4, 6-3 victory over Alina Abdurakhimova at No. 1.
The Owls' Anais Nussaume downed Sarah Sarjoo 6-4, 6-2 at No. 4 before Maria Gomez secured East Carolina's inaugural American Conference win by outlasting Dina Karina 7-6, 6-7, 6-2 in a No. 3 matchup.
The Pirates (9-2, 1-0) will begin an extended nine-match roadswing Friday when they travel to UNC-Wilmington for a 1 p.m. meeting against the Seahawks. ECU will not return home until March 28 when it hosts Charlotte.
Temple, which entered Wednesday's action having won seven of its last eight matches, dropped to 9-4 overall and 0-2 in league play
EAST CAROLINA 4, TEMPLE 1
Singles Play
No. 1 - Nicole LaDuca (ECU) def. Alina Abdurakhimova (TEM) 6-4, 6-3
No. 2 - Michelle Castro (ECU) def. Yana Khon (TEM) 6-1, 6-2
No. 3 - Maria Gomez (ECU) def. Dina Karina (TEM) 7-6, 6-7, 6-2
No. 4 - Anais Nussaume (TEM) def. Sarah Sarjoo (ECU) 6-4, 6-2
No. 5 - Katie Hoch (ECU) vs. Mariana Bedon (TEM) 4-6, 2-2, unfinished
No. 6 - Neena Wanko (ECU) vs. Minami Okajima (TEM) did not start
Doubles Play
No. 1 - Castro/LaDuca (ECU) def. Alina Abdurakhimova/Khon (TEM) 7-6
No. 2 - Nussaume/Monet Stuckey-Willis (TEM) def. Gomez/Wanko (ECU) 7-5
No. 3 - Dana Gray/Hoch (ECU) def. Rebecca Breland/Karina (TEM) 7-6
Team Records: Temple 9-4 (0-2 AAC), East Carolina 9-2 (1-0 AAC)
Players Mentioned
