East Carolina University
Connecticut
Pirates Bow Out Of American Conference Tournament
April 15, 2015 | Women's Tennis
TULSA, Okla. - East Carolina's season came to an end as the Pirates dropped a 4-0 decision to eighth-seeded Connecticut in the first round of the American Athletic Conference Women's Tennis Championship Tournament Wednesday morning at the Michael D. Case Tennis Center.
The Huskies (15-8), who have won eight of their last nine matches, will advance to the quarterfinals where they will meet top-seeded Houston Thursday. Ninth-seeded ECU closed out its season with a 12-12 record.
Connecticut promptly extended a 1-0 lead after doubles play by capturing three singles meetings in convincing two-set fashion. Yelyzaveta Pletnyeva and Srna Stosljevic cruised to 6-0, 6-0 and 6-4, 6-0 victories over Maria Gomez and Nicole LaDuca at the No. 3 and No. 1 positions, respectively. Emma Alderman followed with a 6-3, 6-3 defeat of Michelle Castro at No. 2 to clinch the team triumph.
Since tournament format policy dictates the stoppage of play once a team secures its fourth point, the No. 4, No. 5 and No. 6 singles matches featuring Sarah Sarjoo, Katie Hoch and Neena Wanko were not played.
Gomez and Wanko provided the Pirates' only highlight when they opened doubles action by acing Alderman and Zaina Zakie 6-0 in a No. 2 matchup. The Huskies regrouped and with 6-2 and 6-4 triumphs at the No. 1 and No. 3 slots to jump out to a 1-0 advantage.
NO. 8 CONNECTICUT 4, NO. 9 EAST CAROLINA 0
Singles Play
No. 1 - Srna Stosljevic (UCONN) def. Nicole LaDuca (ECU), 6-4, 6-0
No. 2 - Emma Alderman (UCONN) def. Michelle Castro (ECU), 6-3, 6-3
No. 3 - Yelyzaveta Pletnyeva (UCONN) def. Maria Gomez (ECU), 6-0, 6-0
No. 4 - Sarah Sarjoo (ECU) vs. Summer Walker (UCONN), did not start
No. 5 - Katie Hoch (ECU) vs. Zaina Zaki (UCONN), did not start
No. 6 - Neena Wanko (ECU) vs. Shea Flanagan (UCONN), did not start
Doubles Play
No. 1 - Stosljevic/Maxene Weinberg (UCONN) def. Castro/LaDuca (ECU), 6-2
No. 2 - Gomez/Wanko (ECU) def. Alderman/Zaki (UCONN), 6-0
No. 3 - Pletnyeva/Walker (UCONN) def. Dana Gray/Hoch (ECU), 6-4
Team Records: East Carolina 12-12, Connecticut 15-8
Players Mentioned
