ST. PAUL, MINN. - The Drake men's tennis team gave a fighting effort but ultimately were unable to overcome 27th-rated Minnesota as the Golden Gophers registered a 5-2 victory over the Bulldogs on Friday (Feb. 25).

Minnesota swept the doubles matches en route to assuming a lead it didn't relinquish.

Drake garnered victories in singles play at the Nos. 4 and 6 positions.

Sophomore Anis Ghorbel (Sfax, Tunisia) bested Phillip Arndt on court No. 4, 6-4, 6-4, while junior Jonathan Hadash (Lapid, Israel) downed his former school and Juan Pablo Ramirez, 6-4, 7-5, at No. 6.

The Bulldogs were in line to play for victory as it took a pair of third-set triumphs by the Golden Gophers at the Nos. 2 and 3 positions to claim the decision.

The Bulldogs return to action on March 5 as Drake hosts Marquette at 11:00 a.m. at the Roger Knapp Tennis Center

NO. 27 MINNESOTA (7-1) DEF. DRAKE (6-2), 5-2

ST. PAUL, MINN. • FEB. 25, 2011

SINGLES:

No. 1 Rob Bonin (MINN) def. No. 122 Mauricio Ballivian (DU), 6-2, 7-5

No. 2 Sebastian Gallego (MINN) def. Jean Erasmus (DU), 7-5, 3-6, 6-3

No. 3 Tobias Wernet (MINN) def. James McKie (DU), 5-7, 7-6 (1), 7-5

No. 4 Anis Ghorbel (DU) def. Phillip Arndt (MINN), 6-4, 6-4

No. 5 Julian Dehn (MINN) def. Robin Goodman (DU), 6-4, 6-3

No. 6 Jonathan Hadash (DU) def. Juan Pablo Ramirez (MINN), 6-4, 7-5

Order of Finish: 4,5,1,6,2,3

DOUBLES:

No. 1 Arndt/Gallego (MINN) def. Ballivian/Goodman (DU), 8-6

No. 2 Dehn/Bonin (MINN) def. Erasmus/Hadash (DU), 8-2

No. 3 Pablo Ramirez/Wernet (MINN) def. McKie/Ghorbel (DU), 8-6

Order of Finish: 2,1,3