GREENSBORO, N.C. – The UNCG men's tennis team defeated in-state rival East Carolina, 4-3, Wednesday at the UNCG Tennis Courts.

The Spartans earn their second-straight victory and improve to 6-6 on the season. ECU falls to 9-9 with the loss.

In doubles, UNCG took a 1-0 lead after claiming two of three doubles matches. Freshman Connor Thompson (Atlanta, Ga./Holy Innocents) and senior Randy Phillips (Snellville, Ga./Brookwood) defeated Colin Roller and Tendai Tapfuma, 6-1 at No. 1 doubles.

At No. 3 doubles, Patriek Wolterbeek and Nicolas Soriano earned a 6-2 win against junior Daniel Mack (Lakeland, Fla./Lakeland) and senior Cameron Smith (Jamestown, N.C./Ragsdale). 

The Blue and Gold earned a close doubles point with a 7-6 (7-3) win at No. 2 doubles as redshirt sophomore William Albright (Greensboro, N.C./Grimsley) and sophomore Warren Bryan (Greensboro, N.C./The Early College at Guilford/Longwood) outlasted Ross Nigro and Fredric Lehfeldt. 

In singles, the Spartans earned three singles wins to pick up a 4-3 victory against the Pirates. Phillips won in straight sets against Tapfuma, 6-3, 6-1. Phillips has won eight-straight matches and is a team best 11-1 at No. 1 singles.  

At No. 2 singles, ECU cut the lead to 2-1 after Soriano defeated Thompson, 6-4, 6-2. Roller even the match at 2-2 with a 6-4, 7-6 (7-4) win against Albright at No. 6 singles. 

Kasey Countee defeated Bryan, 6-2, 3-6, 7-5 in three sets at No. 5 singles. Smith won in the third set against Damien Brenard, 1-6, 6-2, 6-4 at No. 4 singles.  

In the final match, Mack battled back forcing a third set and clinching the victory at No. 3 singles against Lehfeldt, 4-6, 7-5, 6-0.

The Blue and Gold continue SoCon play with a home match against ETSU Saturday, March 21 at noon at the UNCG Tennis Courts.

Follow all the action about the 2014-15 UNCG men's tennis team on www.UNCGSpartans.com or on twitter @UNCGMTennis.