East Carolina University
Longwood
ECU Cruises Past Longwood in Season Opener, 6-1
January 18, 2016 | Men's Tennis
GREENVILLE, N.C. - The East Carolina men's tennis team claimed a convincing 6-1 victory over Longwood in its first dual match of the season Monday afternoon.
The win was the first for ECU (1-0) in a season opener since the 2013 season
The Pirates' toughest challenge in the dual match came right from the start with the fight for the doubles point. Sophomore Kasey Countee and freshman Will Bissett set the tone with an easy 6-1 victory on court three over Bharani Sankar and Rosen Ilchev, but Longwood (0-1) was able to respond with a 6-4 win on court two and leave the doubles point hanging in the balance on court one. Senior Tendai Tapfuma and freshman Vlad Anghel were able to muscle through a back-and-forth battle to break serve and hold on, 7-5, to give ECU an early 1-0 lead in the overall match.
East Carolina carried its momentum into singles play, where Anghel, playing in his first-collegiate match, was the first one off the courts with an overwhelming 6-2, 6-0 win over Sankar on court three. Just a few minutes later, Tapfuma closed out Alfonso Castellano, 6-4, 6-2, on the No. 1 singles court to put the Pirates in front, 3-0. Tapfuma has now won four-straight dating back to the conclusion of the fall season.
The Lancers got on the scoreboard on court two when Florian Uffer claimed a 6-2, 7-5 victory over Countee, but junior Fredric Lehfeldt clinched the match from the No. 4 spot in the lineup by dispatching Julian Farthing, 6-2, 6-3. Freshmen Ronny Georgi and William Himpe put the final touches on the team win with straight-set victories on courts five and six, respectively.
The Pirates will remain at home to host Navy on Saturday, Jan. 23. First serve is scheduled for 11 a.m., at the ECU Indoor Tennis Center.
Singles competition
1. Tendai Tapfuma (ECU) def. CASTELLANO, Alfonso (LWU) 6-4, 6-2
2. UFFER, Florian (LWU) def. Kasey Countee (ECU) 6-2, 7-5
3. Vlad Anghel (ECU) def. SANKAR, Bharani (LWU) 6-2, 6-0
4. Fredric Lehfeldt (ECU) def. FARTHING, Julian (LWU) 6-2, 6-3
5. Ronny Georgi (ECU) def. MANSER, Lachlan (LWU) 6-2, 7-6 (7-3)
6. William Himpe (ECU) def. ILCHEV, Rosen (LWU) 6-1, 6-2
Doubles competition
1. Tendai Tapfuma/Vlad Anghel (ECU) def. FARTHING, Julian/CASTELLANO, Alfonso (LWU) 7-5
2. UFFER, Florian/MANSER, Lachlan (LWU) def. Fredric Lehfeldt/William Himpe (ECU) 6-4
3. Kasey Countee/Will Bissett (ECU) def. SANKAR, Bharani/ILCHEV, Rosen (LWU) 6-1
Match Notes:
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2,1); Singles (3,1,2,4)
Players Mentioned
