UNCG conquers East Carolina on the road, 5-2
GREENVILLE, N.C. – Coming off its 5-2 win over Coastal Carolina in its home opener, UNCG traveled to East Carolina and defeated the Pirates by an identical 5-2 score on Wednesday evening at the ECU Tennis Complex.
The Spartans (2-1) started the match on a good note as they claimed the doubles point. Stephanie Macfarlane and Alex Whitehead combined to cruise to an 8-1 win at No. 1 doubles. The duo of Lucy Dougherty and Niltooli Wilkins followed with an 8-4 victory of their own to clinch the doubles point for UNCG.
Manon Bissat and Neena Wanko won at No. 3 doubles for the Pirates (2-1), 8-4, but it was too late as the Spartans had already clinched the point.
Similar to the match against Coastal Carolina, the Spartans dropped the first singles match to allow the Pirates to tie the match at one. Petra Vogel scored a 6-2, 6-1 win at No. 2 singles to give ECU its first point of the day.
The Pirates actually took a 2-1 lead after Natalie Collins defeated Dilara Yurtkuran, 6-1, 6-1, at No. 4 singles. It was all UNCG the rest of the afternoon as it took four straight three-set matches.
Stephanie Macfarlane got the ball rolling for the Spartans with a 1-6, 6-4, 6-3 win at No. 3 singles over Audrey LePottier. Annette Rios put UNCG back in the lead at 3-2 with her 2-6, 6-4, 6-2 win against Yilian Zhang at No. 6 singles.
Niltooli Wilkins clinched the match for UNCG as she also had a comeback victory. She defeated Jessica Cook 4-6, 6-4, 6-0 to move to 3-0 on the young spring season.
Lucy Dougherty capped things off with her 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (7-2) win over Neena Wanko at No. 5 singles to make the final team score, 5-2.
The Spartans will now have 10 days before opening Southern Conference play on Feb. 26, as they host Chattanooga at 1 p.m.
AGATE
UNCG 5, East Carolina 2
Doubles:
No. 1 – Stephanie Macfarlane/Alex Whitehead (UNCG) def. Cook/LePottier (ECU) 8-1
No. 2 – Lucy Dougherty/Niltooli Wilkins (UNCG) def. Collins/Vogel (ECU) 8-4
No. 3 - Manon Bissat/Neena Wanko (ECU) def. Mikayla Rogers/Devon Sutherland (UNCG) 8-4
Order of finish – 1,3*,2 *clinched doubles point
Singles:
No. 1 - Niltooli Wilkins (UNCG) def. Jessica Cook (ECU) 4-6, 6-4, 6-0
No. 2 - Petra Vogel (ECU) def. Alex Whitehead (UNCG) 6-2, 6-1
No. 3 - Stephanie Macfarlane (UNCG) def. Audrey LePottier (ECU) 1-6, 6-4, 6-3
No. 4 - Natalie Collins (ECU) def. Dilara Yurtkuran (UNCG) 6-1, 6-1
No. 5 - Lucy Dougherty (UNCG) def. Neena Wanko (ECU) 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (7-2)
No. 6 - Annette Rios (UNCG) def. Yilian Zhang (ECU) 2-6, 6-4, 6-2
Order of finish – 2,4,3,6,1*,5 *clinched match
- UNCG -