DES MOINES, IOWA - Drake senior Maor Zirkin (Kibutz Hazor, Israel) captured his 200th career victory to ignite the Bulldogs to a 7-0 men's tennis triumph over Western Illinois on Sunday (Feb. 15).

The win was the second consecutive for No. 54 Drake, which improved to 2-3 overall, while the Leathernecks fell to 1-7 on the campaign.

“It's nice to get two wins in a row this weekend,” Bulldog head coach Chase Hodges commented.  “Shutout victories are tough to get and all of the guys took care of business today.  I'm very proud of Maor (Zirkin) for earning his 200th victory today.  We look forward to playing a tough Nebraska team Wednesday night.”

Zirkin became only the third player in school history to reach the 200-win threshold joining Robert Novotny (1993-97) and Dalibor Pavic (2004-08) following his 6-0, 6-3 singles victory over Zach Frisch at the top singles slot.

The Bulldogs took a 1-0 lead in doubles play after the tandem of senior Ivan Mendoza (Wellington, New Zealand) and sophomore Mauricio Ballivian clinched the tally at the No. 2 doubles hole with an 8-3 triumph against Sean Ragee-Nelson and Neil Lesinski.

Mendoza and junior Guilherme Marsiglia (Porto Alegre Brazil) extended the margin to 3-0 with Mendoza's 6-1, 6-2 victory versus Rodrigo Azevado at No. 6 and Marsiglia's 6-0, 6-4 decision over McGuire at No. 5.

Clinching the match for Drake at No. 4 was senior Ricardo Lau (Tegucigalpa, Honduras), who bettered Ragee-Nelson, 6-2, 6-2.

Ballivian added a 6-2, 6-2 win at No. 2 versus Jose Francisco Ortiz before freshman Evgeny Silitski (Minsk, Belarus) recorded his first collegiate singles triumph with a 7-6 (5), 6-4 win against Lesinski at the No. 3 position.

Drake closes out its four-match homestand on Wednesday (Feb. 18) as the Bulldogs host Nebraska in a 6:00 p.m. affair.

NO. 54 DRAKE (2-3) DEF. WESTERN ILLINOIS (1-7), 7-0
FEB. 15, 2009
DRAKE TENNIS CENTER ? DES MOINES, IOWA

SINGLES:
No. 1 Maor Zirkin (DU) def. Zach Frisch (WIU), 6-0, 6-3
No. 2 Mauricio Ballivian (DU) def. Jose Francisco Ortiz (WIU), 6-2, 6-2
No. 3 Evgeny Silitski (DU) def. Neil Lesinski (WIU), 7-6 (5), 6-4
No. 4 Ricardo Lau (DU) def. Sean Ragee-Nelson (WIU), 6-2, 6-2
No. 5 Guilherme Marsiglia (DU) def. James McGuire (WIU), 6-0, 6-4
No. 6 Ivan Mendoza (DU) def. Rodrigo Azevado (WIU), 6-1, 6-2
Order of Finish (6,5,4,2,1,3)

DOUBLES:
No. 1 Frisch/McGuire (WIU) def. Zirkin/Silitski (DU), 8-5
No. 2 Mendoza/Ballivian (DU) def. Lesinski/Ragee-Nelson (WIU), 8-3
No. 3 Marsiglia/Lau (DU) def. Michael Schild/Mandela Shepard (WIU), 8-2
Order of Finish (3,2,1)