by Benny Benton
GREENVILLE, N.C. – Barton College sophomore Jake McCartney claimed a three-set victory in the No. 1 singles spot, but NCAA Division I member East Carolina University captured the remaining matches in a 6-1 triumph Sunday at the ECU Indoor Tennis Center.
East Carolina moved to 3-6 on the year, while Barton fell to 2-2.
McCartney, last year's Conference Carolinas Freshman of the Year, rallied from a 6-3 first-set deficit to beat ECU's Damien Brenard over the final two sets 6-4 and 7-5. Brenard was playing his third match this season at No. 1 for the Pirates after also competing in the No. 2 and No. 3 slots.
The Pirates took out the rest of Barton's singles lineup in straight sets. Tendai Tapfuma defeated Rafael Ruiz Velasco 6-2, 6-1 at No. 2; Nicolas Soriano defeated Nick Genest 6-1, 6-2 at No. 3; Fredric Lehfeldt defeated Daniel Radu 6-2, 6-2 at No. 4; Colin Roller defeated Yaxi Pintado 6-3, 6-2 at No. 5; and Kasey Countee defeated Jorge Pradilla 6-0, 6-1 at No. 6.
One point is awarded in doubles against NCAA Division I competition, and East Carolina easily claimed that point by sweeping the three matches. Barton's Genest and Radu took Lehfeldt and Ross Nigro to 8-4 in the No. 2 slot, but McCartney and Ruiz were beaten 8-1 in the top doubles slot by Roller and Tapfuma. Freshman Robert Taylor made his first appearance for the Bulldogs in a team competition at No. 3 doubles, pairing with Pradilla in an 8-1 loss to Brenard and Countee.
Barton is scheduled to begin Conference Carolinas play on Friday when it hosts Erskine College in a 2 p.m. match at the Barton Tennis Complex.
