BOX SCORE

Statesboro, Ga. –  It was a battle until the very end between the Eagles and the ECU Pirates Saturday from the Wallis Tennis Center.  When the dust settled, the Pirates claimed a 4-3 victory over the Eagles (2-4).  Ristomatti Lanne, Jose Landin, and Nico de Groof all earned points in singles.

"It was a great fight for our team, Ristomatti and Jose getting off the court early always helps in singles, but we've got some things we've got to work on and improve."

At No. 1 doubles, the tandem of Kyle Hoffman and Landin fell to Colin Roller and Tendai Tapfuma 2-6.  Moments later ECU clinched the doubles point when the No. 3 position duo of Nicholas Soriano and Damien Brenard defeated Lanne and de Groof 3-6.  With the doubles point in possession of the Pirates, the No. 2 doubles match was unfinished.  At the time, however, Christian Kerrigan and Albert Codina Sala were tied 5-5 agaisnt Fredric Lehfeldt and Ross Nigro.

Landin tied the match score 1-1 when he defeated Roller at No. 5 singles 6-2, 6-2.  Then, Lanne gave the Eagles a go-ahead point when he dispatched Soriano at the No. 1 position 6-2, 6-1 to make it 2-1 in favor of the home team.

The Pirates tied it again at 2 a piece when Brenard took down Kerrigan at No. 2 singles 6-4, 6-3.  Not content to keep it tied, de Groof playing at No. 6, came back from a first set loss to beat Kasey Countee 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 which put the Eagles back on top 3-2.

Lehfeldt tied it at 3-3 when he brought down Hoffman at the No. 4 position 4-6, 7-6, 6-0.  

The final decision came down to senior captain Codina Sala at No. 3 singles.  

"It came down to the last match with our captain, and you always wish for the decision to be in favor of a guy like that," said Koning.  "He did so great in that second set, and just let down a bit at the beginning of the 3rd set which allowed his opponent to take control."

After dropping the first set to Tapfuma 2-6, Codina Sala came storming back in set two 7-6 to force the decisive 3rd set.  It was Tapfuma who would win the 3rd set 6-2 and thus claim the match 4-3 over the Eagles.

"It was a great feeling in my first match as head coach, especially the way the guys competed, concluded Koning.  "That's why I do this job, it's fun to watch, and how give everything they have, makes it all worth it.  Today, we didn't get the result we wanted, but if we compete like this every time we get on the court, we'll turn things around."


The Eagles will now turn their attention to Troy University as the team travels to Troy, Alabama on Friday, February 20th to take on the Troy Trojans in their first Sun Belt Conference tilt.

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