DES MOINES, Iowa – The Drake University men's tennis team was nearly perfect to open the fall season as pair of Bulldog doubles teams recorded a combined 7-1 record at the Drake Invitational on Friday evening at the Roger Knapp Tennis Center.
 
Sophomores Ben Clark and Tom Hands went 4-0 in Fight 1. Clark and Hands began their day with a 6-3 win over Lewis' Mate Srdanovic and Alan Braschinsky before rolling past Creighton's Mac Mease and Alex Koca 6-1. The duo finished their day with a 6-3 victories Northewest Missouri's Romain Boissinot and Sergi Fontcuberta and Lewis' Andre Levitin and ChandlerStimpert, 6-2.
 
Sophomore Ben Wood and freshman Jackson Guilford posted a 3-1 record in Flight 2. They topped Gustavus' Mohanad Al Houni and Patrick Whaling 6-4 and Lewis' Norasith and Peterson 6-3 in their first two matches. Wood and Guilford's final win of the day came over Northwest Missouri's Aymeric Autones and Josef Altman, 6-3. Austin Russell and Tom Hjertonsson came back from being down a break to defeat Wood and Guilford, 7-5.
 
The Bulldogs continues action at the Drake Invitational on Saturday at 9 a.m. with three rounds of singles matches.