DES MOINES, IOWA - Drake continued its run of strong tennis on its home court as the Bulldogs registered a decisive 6-1 victory over Evansville on Saturday (April 14).

The win was the fourth in six home matches this season and improved the Blue and White to 7-11 overall and 2-2 in the Missouri Valley Conference. The loss was only the sixth of the year for the Purple Aces, who now stand at 16-6, including 1-4 in league competition.

Drake took control of the match from the start as the Bulldogs swept all three doubles matches to claim a 1-0 lead heading into singles action.

Improving their league ledger in doubles to 3-1 was the duo of sophomore Veronika Leszayova (Povazska Bystrica, Slovak Republic) and junior Allison Wilkie (Omaha, Neb.), who posted an 8-4 victory over Brittany Brown and Beth Peyton at the top doubles hole.

The Bulldogs carried over the momentum of the doubles triumphs into singles action as the Blue and White took five of the six matches.

After winning her first set, Leszayova battled back to register a 6-3, 4-6, 10-6 three-set decision versus Brown at the No. 1 singles position.

Playing in her next to last home match, senior Eve Rusdianto (Surabaya, Indonesia) earned a 6-1, 6-0 victory over Peyton at the second singles slot.

Junior Irina Kalashnikova (Sochi, Russia) registered a 6-2 injury-shortened match against Lisa Kawamoto at No. 3 singles, while sophomore Zi Wang (Hebei Province, China) bettered Allison Cox, 6-0, 6-3 at the fourth singles hole.

Wilkie completed the victory total for the Bulldogs as she crafted a 6-0, 6-2 decision versus Stephanie Millis at No. 6 singles.

Drake closes out the home portion of its schedule on Sunday (April 15) as the Bulldogs host Southern Illinois in a 10:00 a.m. match at the Drake Tennis Center.

Drake def. Evansville, 6-1
April 14, 2007
Des Moines, Iowa – Drake Tennis Center
Records: Drake (7-11, 2-2 MVC), Evansville (16-6, 1-4 MVC)

Singles
No.1 Veronika Leszayova (DU) def. Brittany Brown (UE), 6-3, 4-6, 10-6
No. 2 Eveline Rusdianto (DU) def. Beth Peyton (UE), 6-1, 6-0
No. 3 Irina Kalashnikova (DU) def. Lisa Kawamoto (UE), 6-2, retired
No. 4 Zi Wang (DU) def. Allison Cox (UE), 6-0, 6-3
No. 5 Sara Wilhoite (UE) def. Sarah Plowman (DU), 7-6 (5), 6-2
No. 6 Allison Wilkie (DU) def. Stephanie Millis (UE), 6-0, 6-2

Doubles
No. 1 Leszayova/Wilkie (DU) def. Brown/Peyton (UE), 8-4
No. 2 Rusdianto/Kalashnikova (DU) def. Kawamoto/Wilhoite (UE), 8-5
No. 3 Sloboth/Plowman (DU) def. Millis/Cox (UE), 8-4