Pirates Handed First Loss in Narrow Match with Richmond

Friday, February 10

Greenville, N.C.

2:30 PM

East Carolina University

Richmond

February 10, 2017 | Men's Tennis

Box Score (PDF)

Greenville, N.C. – East Carolina lost its first match of 2017 in a narrow battle with Richmond Friday afternoon. Despite losing the doubles point, ECU battled back to lead 3-2 in the match but the Spiders won at No.5 and No. 6 singles to claim the 4-3 victory over the Pirates.

"I give Richmond a lot of credit," head coach Shawn Heinchon said. "They played really well. They got off to a nice lead after winning the doubles point and that ended up being the difference today. Our guys did a really good job at fighting and hanging in there to give us a chance to win. Richmond was just a little stronger on most of the key points that made the difference at the end of the day."

Richmond claimed the doubles point with wins at No. 1 and No. 3. Jacob Dunbar and Alexandre Felisa defeated Freddie McGeehan and Kasey Countee, 6-2 at the No. 1 spot while James Aronson and John Karlawish beat Ronny Georgi and Will Bissett 6-3 at the bottom of the lineup. With the doubles point clinched, No. 2 doubles went unfinished with Vlad Anghel and Fredric Lehfeldt in a 5-5 stalemate with Jonathan Quenard and Caleb Troy.

Dunbar gave Richmond a 2-0 lead with a 6-1, 6-2 win over McGeehan at the top of the singles lineup. East Carolina won the next three singles matches to take a 3-2 overall in the match. First Anghel overcame Felisa at the No. 2 spot in three sets. Then after edging Troy in a first set tiebreaker, Georgi lost set two 5-7 but rallied for a 6-3 set three win to earn the win at No. 3 singles.

Lehfeldt split the first two sets at No. 4 singles with Teague but dominated 6-2 in the third set which gave ECU the 3-2 advantage. After falling 6-2 in the first set and trailing 4-1 early in the second set, Countee railed to bring the second frame to 5-4 in favor of the Spiders' Karlawish. The Karlawish was able to hold off Countee 6-4 in the set evening the match to 3-all. Bissett lost the first set at No. 6 singles but continued to fight going back-and-forth with Aronson. Aronson held off Bissett's efforts for a 6-3 win in set two, clinching victory for the Spiders.

ECU returns to action Sunday when the Pirates host Appalachian State at 11 a.m.

Scoreboard
Singles
1. Jacob Dunbar (RICH-M) def. Freddie McGeehan (ECU-M) 6-1, 6-2
2. Vlad Anghel (ECU-M) def. Alexandre Felisa (RICH-M) 6-1, 1-6, 6-1
3. Ronny Georgi (ECU-M) def. Caleb Troy (RICH-M) 7-6 (2), 5-7, 6-3
4. Fredric Lehfeldt (ECU-M) def. Canyon Teague (RICH-M) 6-3, 3-6, 6-2
5. John Karlawish (RICH-M) def. Kasey Countee (ECU-M) 6-2, 6-4
6. James Aronson (RICH-M) def. Will Bissett (ECU-M) 6-2, 6-3

Doubles
1. Jacob Dunbar/Alexandre Felisa (RICH-M) def. Freddie McGeehan/Kasey Countee (ECU-M) 6-2
2. Vlad Anghel/Fredric Lehfeldt (ECU-M) vs. Jonathan Quenard/Caleb Troy (RICH-M) 5-5, unfinished
3. James Aronson/John Karlawish (RICH-M) def. Ronny Georgi/Will Bissett (ECU-M) 6-3