Bissett Helps ECU Top Richmond 4-3

Friday, February 8

Greenville, N.C.

2:30 PM

East Carolina University

University of Richmond

Photo by: Rob Taylor

February 08, 2019 | Men's Tennis

Box Score Box Score

GREENVILLE, N.C. – For the second time this season, the ECU men's tennis team clinched a match on the sixth and final court, this time beating Richmond 4-3 on Friday afternoon inside the ECU Indoor Tennis Center.

"What a great college tennis match, was super close, super competitive and a nail-biter to the very end," said Shawn Heinchon. "I want to take a second to give credit to the Richmond players and coaches, they were first class all the way. As for us, unbelievable work in singles. It really came down to our upperclassmen. Huge credit to Vlad (Anghel) and Will Bissett, awesome work from both of them. We needed them and their leadership today. They both came through big time for us. I would also like to take a moment and compliment (assistant coach) Ian (Van Cott). He hung in there with a couple of the tight matches that didn't look like they were going our way and to his credit, he helped turn a couple of the in our direction. Great work by him."

The match started very close, with the doubles point coming down to the wire. Richmond (3-2) struck first when Joe Nardini and Klein Evans beat Will Bissett and Simon Labbe 6-2 on court three. The match was squared when Diogo Marques and Austin Allen topped George Lovitt and John Walsh 6-2 on court two. On court one, Wisse Jonker and Ronny Georgi went back and forth with Josh Keitelman and Matt Fernandez, with the match reaching a 5-5 tie. The Spider pair finally created separation by winning two straight games, earning the doubles point for Richmond.

In singles, Jonker restored confidence to the Pirates by cruising to a quick 6-1, 6-3 win over Fernandez. It was the sixth win in seven dual matches for the sophomore, all of them on court three.

The two teams split a pair of three-set matches on courts one and two. On court one, Brice Polender took the first set, but Marques answered by winning six straight games in the second. Polender recovered in the third set and closed out the match 6-3, 0-6, 6-2. On court two, Vlad Anghel dropped the first set against Evans, but rattled off consecutive 6-2 sets for a 4-6, 6-2, 6-2 victory to tie the match at 2-2.

Georgi continued his strong singles play by taking a 6-2, 6-4 win over Walsh. It was the fifth straight win for Georgi.

Labbe held an early lead on court five after the freshman won the first set. Labbe could not capture a second set though, with Lovitt taking the match 5-7, 6-2, 6-4 to tie the score at 3-3.

The previous time this season that a match had come down to the wire was in the season opener when Labbe won on court six to help ECU top James Madison 4-3. This time it was Bissett who held ECU's fate in his racquet. The redshirt-junior fell behind Campbell Erwin after the first set and was on the brink of elimination in the second set.
However, Bissett recovered to take the second set 7-5. There, he took an early lead and then won a break point at 3-1. From that point, Bissett did enough to finish off a 4-6, 7-5, 6-3 win to clinch ECU's victory.

The Pirates are back on the courts on Sunday afternoon when they host Appalachian State. First serve is scheduled for 12 noon.

Singles Results
1. Brice Polender (Richmond) def. Diogo Marques (ECU) 6-3, 0-6, 6-2
2. Vlad Anghel (ECU) def. Klein Evans (Richmond) 4-6, 6-2, 6-2
3. Wisse Jonker (ECU) def. Matt Fernandez (Richmond) 6-1, 6-3
4. Ronny Georgi (ECU) def. John Walsh (Richmond) 6-2, 6-4
5. George Lovitt (Richmond) def. Simon Labbe (ECU) 5-7, 6-2, 6-4
6. Will Bissett (ECU) def. Campbell Erwin (Richmond) 4-6, 7-5, 6-3

Doubles Results
1. Josh Keitelman/Matt Fernandez (Richmond) def. Wisse Jonker/Ronny Georgi (ECU) 7-5
2. Diogo Marques/Austin Allen (ECU) def. George Lovitt/John Waslh (Richmond) 6-2
3. Joe Nardini/Klein Evans (Richmond) def. Will Bissett/Simon Labbe (ECU) 6-2

Match Results
Richmond 3-2
ECU 6-1
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2,1); Singles (3,1,2,4,5,6)