Pirates Handle UNC Greensboro 6-1

Wednesday, March 20

Greensboro, NC

2 PM

East Carolina University

UNC Greensboro

Photo by: Rob Taylor

March 20, 2019 | Men's Tennis

Box Score Box Score

GREENSBORO, N.C. – Jumping out to a 3-0 lead helped the ECU men's tennis team top UNC Greensboro 6-1 on Wednesday afternoon at the UNCG Tennis Courts.

"Our doubles play was exceptional today and getting off to a great start winning the doubles point took a little pressure off moving into singles," said head coach Shawn Heinchon. "We certainly didn't play our best in singles and UNCG did a great job of fighting on every court. But our guys responded well and hung in there and won a lot of close matches. Great playing by both Will (Bissett) and Diogo (Marques). It's good to have Diogo back at full strength. Really well done by Will clinching the match for us as it was coming down to the wire."

ECU (12-4) snaps a two-match losing streak and improves to 5-2 on the road. UNC Greensboro (4-9) falls for the fourth time in five matches.

The Pirates had fallen behind early in their last match, dropping the doubles point against William & Mary. However on Wednesday, ECU made sure it clinched the 1-0 lead. The top tandem of Wisse Jonker and Javier Renones had little trouble in their match, beating Nico Grewe and Ollie Palmer 6-1. The point was clinched when Will Bissett and Vlad Anghel beat Eric Whisnant and Ian Melnik 6-2.

The singles started off poorly for ECU. Diogo Marques on court one and Renones on court three both led after their respective first set, but the Pirates lost the opening set on the remaining four courts.

Marques and Renones continued to push forward and wins from the pair of them put ECU on the brink of clinching. Marques beat Palmer 6-4, 6-2 while Renones topped High Knapp 6-2, 6-3.

After losing four first sets, three Pirates were able to win their second set. First, Bissett completely flipped the momentum of his match by winning all six games in the second set. UNC Greensboro did get a point on the board when Grewe completed a 6-2, 6-4 win over Anghel on court two. But second set wins from Jonker on court four and Ronny Georgi (in a tiebreaker) on court five gave ECU three chances at claiming the clinching point.

In the end, the three chances were more than enough. The match was clinched when Bissett closed out a 2-6, 6-0, 6-4 win over Jack Burkill on court six. ECU got insurance points when Jonker beat Melnik 4-6, 6-1, 6-4. Georgi, after having survived the second set in a tiebreaker, won the third set tiebreaker for a 3-6, 7-6 (7-5), 1-0 (11-9) win.

ECU will be back home for the first time in three weeks on Saturday afternoon. The Pirates will host Presbyterian at 12 noon at the River Birch Tennis Complex.

Singles Results
1. Diogo Marques (ECU) def. Ollie Palmer (UNCG) 6-4, 6-2
2. Nico Grewe (UNCG) def. Vlad Anghel (ECU) 6-2, 6-4
3. Javier Renones (ECU) def. Hugh Knapp (UNCG) 6-2, 6-3
4. Wisse Jonker (ECU) def. Ian Melnik (UNCG) 4-6, 6-1, 6-4
5. Ronny Georgi (ECU) def. 3-6, 7-6 (7-5), 1-0 (11-9)
6. Will Bissett (ECU) def. Jack Burkill (UNCG) 2-6, 6-0, 6-4

Doubles Results
1. Javier Renones/Wisse Jonker (ECU) def. Nico Grewe/Ollie Palmer (UNCG) 6-1
2. Austin Allen/Diogo Marques (ECU) vs. Hugh Knapp/Jack Burkill (UNCG) 3-4
3. Will Bissett/Vlad Anghel (ECU) def. Eric Whisnant/Ian Melnik (UNCG) 6-2

Match Notes
ECU 12-4
UNC Greensboro 4-9
Order of finish: Singles (1,3,2,6,4,5); Doubles (1,3)