DES MOINES, Iowa – The Drake University men's tennis team opened Missouri Valley Conference action with wins over Southern Illinois, 4-3, and Illinois State, 7-0, on Saturday at the Roger Knapp Tennis Center.
 
Southern Illinois managed to win the doubles point to take a 1-0 lead in the first match of the day.
 
Drake's Tom Hands cruised past Daniel Martinez, 6-0, 6-3 at No. 5 singles to tie the match up at 1-1.
 
The Salukis regained the lead with a win at the No. 3 spot, but Drake's Bayo Philips tied match back up with a 7-5, 6-3 win at No. 4.
 
Sophomore Ben Clark earned a 6-4, 1-6, 6-3 win over Param Pun at No. 6 to give Drake a 3-2 lead.
 
Junior Ben Stride clinched the Bulldog victory over SIU in a thrilling three-set match over Wilder Pimentel, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 at No. 2.
 
In the nightcap, Drake jumped on Illinois State early and never looked back.
 
The Bulldogs won all three doubles matches to go ahead 1-0.
 
Drake's momentum carried through to the singles matches as the Bulldogs earned breaks early to win the first set on all six courts.
 
Junior Ben Wood won his first set 6-1 and was up 3-1 in the second before Christoffer Greve retired to give Wood the victory.
 
Vinny Gillespie returned to his winning ways with dominating 6-1, 6-1 victory over Urh Krajnc at No. 1 to give Drake a 3-0 lead.
 
Freshman Barny Thorold clinched the match with a 6-1, 6-1 win of his own at No. 4.
 
Philips, Clark and Hands all went on to win in straight sets to secure the sweep over the Redbirds.
 
The Bulldogs will close out the regular season at Wichita State on April 15 at 11:30 a.m.
 
Drake 4, Southern Illinois 3
April 8, 2017 at Des Moines, Iowa (Roger Knapp Tennis Center) 

Singles competition

1. #113 Piotr Baranski (SIU) def. #83 Gillespie, Vinny (DU) 6-7 (5-7), 6-4, 6-4

2. Stride, Ben (DU) def. Wilder Pimentel (SIU) 3-6, 6-1, 6-4

3. Michal Kianicka (SIU) def. MacGeoch, Calum (DU) 6-3, 6-3

4. Philips, Bayo (DU) def. Alex Pozo (SIU) 7-5, 6-3

5. Hands, Tom (DU) def. Daniel Martinez (SIU) 6-0, 6-3

6. Clark, Ben (DU) def. Param Pun (SIU) 6-4, 1-6, 6-3

 

Doubles competition

1. Alex Pozo/Piotr Baranski (SIU) def. Philips, Bayo/Thorold, Barnaby (DU) 6-3

2. Gillespie, Vinny/Hands, Tom (DU) def. Michal Kianicka/Daniel Martinez (SIU) 6-1

3. Wilder Pimentel/Param Pun (SIU) def. MacGeoch, Calum/Wood, Ben (DU) 7-6 (7-5)

 

Match Notes

Order of finish: Doubles (2,1,3); Singles (5,3,4,6,2,1)

 
Drake 7, Illinois State 0
April 8, 2017 at Des Moines, Iowa (Roger Knapp Tennis Center) 

Singles competition

1. Gillespie, Vinny (DU) def. Urh Krajnc Domiter (ILS) 6-1, 6-1

2. Philips, Bayo (DU) def. Dylan Steffens (ILS) 7-6, 6-1

3. Hands, Tom (DU) def. Andreas Boers (ILS) 7-6, 7-6

4. Thorold, Barnaby (DU) def. Matias Chomali (ILS) 6-1, 6-1

5. Wood, Ben (DU) def. Christoffer Greve (ILS) 6-1, 3-1, retired

6. Clark, Ben (DU) def. Egehan Sertkaya (ILS) 6-2, 6-3

 

Doubles competition

1. Philips, Bayo/Stride, Ben (DU) def. Urh Krajnc Domiter/Matias Chomali (ILS) 6-2

2. Gillespie, Vinny/Thorold, Barnaby (DU) def. Andreas Boers/Egehan Sertkaya (ILS) 6-1

3. Hands, Tom/Clark, Ben (DU) def. Dylan Steffens/Christoffer Greve (ILS) 6-4

 

Match Notes

Order of finish: Doubles (); Singles (5,1,4,6,2,3)