March 24, 2004

CONWAY, S.C. - The University of Memphis women's tennis team (7-9, 2-0) came back from dropping the doubles point to upend C-USA foe East Carolina, 4-3, in a neutral site match, Wednesday.

ECU got on the board first with wins at No. 1 and 2 doubles, 8-4 and 8-2, before Memphis came back with straight set wins at No. 5 and 6 singles, and dropping No. 3 and 4 singles, to pull within one at 3-2.

Seniors Marlene Dirnstorfer and Viktoria Gruber then sealed the league win with three-set victories at the top two singles spots. Dirnstorfer downed ECU's Raluca Baicu, 2-6, 6-3, 6-1, while Gruber downed Kirstin Buchanan, 7-5,1-6, 6-2. With the No. 1 singles win, Dirnstorfer becomes the first Lady Tiger to hit the 10-win mark in the spring season, and improves to 10-4 at No. 1 for the year.

The Lady Tigers will travel up to Wilmington, N.C. to face the Seahawks, Thursday, before taking a break Friday. Memphis will round out its schedule back at Coastal Carolina, in a non-conference match, Sunday.

Memphis 4, East Carolina 3
Doubles
No. 1 - Raluca Baicu/Kirstin Buchanan (ECU) def. Marlene Dirnstorfer/Viktoria Gruber (UM), 8-4
No. 2 - Gillie Bailey/Cristina Meilicke (ECU) def. Andrea Feichtinger/Alex Tjioe (UM), 8-2
No.3 - Kristin Noble/Christina Wieser (UM) def. Sara Boseman/Ashley Perkinson (ECU), 8-2
Singles
No. 1 - Marlene Dirnstorfer (UM) def. Raluca Baicu (ECU), 2-6, 6-3, 6-1
No. 2 - Viktoria Gruber (UM) def. Kirstin Buchanan (ECU), 7-5,1-6, 6-2
No. 3 - Gillie Bailey (ECU) def. Andrea Feichtinger (UM), 6-3, 6-4
No. 4 - Cristina Meilicke def. Kristin Noble (UM), 6-4, 6-2
No. 5 - Yesica Ares (UM) def. Sara Boseman (ECU), 6-1, 6-1
No. 6 - Alex Tjioe (UM) def. Ashley Perkinson (ECU), 6-1, 6-2