Feb. 23, 2008

Box Score

HATTIESBURG, Miss. - The Southern Miss men's tennis team rallied for a point down in the doubles, winning four of the six singles to defeating East Carolina in day two of the Conference USA Shootout at the Racquet Club of Hattiesburg.

Southern Miss won its second match of the season, improved to 2-7, while East Carolina dropped to 5-6.

The Pirates opened the match, wining the doubles' point, posting wins at No. 1 and No. 3 doubles. Jarslav Horvath and Henrique Viana (ECU) downed Andrew Poole and Markus Wessinghage, 8-3. The Golden Eagles took the No. 2 doubles, when Domagoj Anic and Jan Burmeister knocked off Henrik Skalmerud and Aleksey Kochetov (ECU), 8-5. ECU clinched the point for the doubles, when Stephen Whitwell and Bryan Oakley (ECU) defeated brothers Diego and Oscar Machuca, 8-6.

"This was a good win for us today," coach Teddy Viator said. "The bottom part of our lineup came through to give us this win. I thought the guys played hard. I am proud of the way we were able to pull out this match."

Southern Miss tied the match after Anic defeated Horvath in straight sets, 6-2, 6-2, at No. 1 singles. The Pirates pushed ahead, 3-1, when No. 2 Viana downed Burmeister, 7-6, 6-2, and No. 3 Kochetov defeated Oscar Machuca, 6-4, 6-1.

The Golden Eagles rallied with the bottom of the lineup came through with three wins. Diego Machuca topped Whitwell, 6-1, 7-6 (4), followed by a three-set win by Poole, 7-5, 0-6, 7-6 (5) over Skalmerud. Wessinghage clinched the match for the Eagles, when he rallied from a set down to win, 2-6, 6-2, 6-2, over Oakley.

Both teams return to action in the final day of the C-USA Shootout. East Carolina will play UCF at 9 a.m., and the Golden Eagles close out the Shootout against UAB at 1 p.m.