APRIL 30, 2011
ST. LOUIS, Mo. - All roads for the 62nd-rated Drake men's tennis team have
been leading towards playing for an NCAA Tournament berth and the Bulldogs will
have that chance after defeating Southern Illinois, 4-0, in the semifinals of
the State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Championship on Saturday (April 30).
On the strength of its 14th-straight victory, Drake now
faces Wichita State in the title tilt on Sunday (May 1) at 10:00 a.m. with the
opportunity to earn the program's fifth NCAA Tournament berth and first since
the 2007-08 campaign.
"This was a good win for us in tough playing conditions,"
Bulldog head coach Evan Austin commented.
"We're looking forward to a great opportunity against Wichita State
tomorrow."
Drake claimed the doubles points after earning decisions at
the top-two positions with the tandem of senior Mauricio Ballivian (Santa Cruz, Bolivia) and sophomore
Anis Ghorbel
(Sfax, Tunisia) clinching the deciding tally downing Adam Fabik and Brandon
Florez at No. 1, 8-4.
Freshman Robin Goodman (Cambridge, England) and junior Jonathan Hadash (Lapid, Israel) extended the lead
in singles to 3-0 registering triumphs at the Nos. 5 and 6 positions,
respectively.
Goodman bested Orhan Spahic at No. 5, 6-2, 6-2, while downed
Rafael Cuadrillero, 6-2, 6-1, at No. 6.
Nailing down the victory and a berth in the MVC title match
was Ghorbel, who turned in a 6-3, 6-2, triumph over Jorge Cavero at No. 3.
NO. 62 DRAKE (20-2) DEF. SOUTHERN ILLINOIS (11-8), 4-0
APRIL 30, 2011 • ST. LOUIS, MO.
SINGLES:
No. 1 Mauricio Ballivian (DU) leading Adam Fabik (SIU), 7-5,
2-1 unfinished
No. 2 Anis Ghorbel (DU) def. Jorge Cavero (SIU), 6-3, 6-2
No. 3 Brandon Florez (SIU) leading Jean Erasmus (DU), 7-6
(6), 1-2
No. 4 James McKie (DU) leading Carlos Do Val (SIU), 6-4, 1-2
No. 5 Robin Goodman (DU) def. Orhan Spahic (SIU), 6-2, 6-2
No. 6 Jonathan Hadash (DU) def. Rafael Cuadrillero (SIU),
6-2, 6-1
Order of finish: 5,6,2
DOUBLES:
No. 1 Ballivian/Ghorbel (DU) def. Fabik/Florez (SIU), 8-4
No. 2 Erasmus/McKie (DU) def. Do Val/Cavero (SIU), 8-1
No. 3 Cesar Bracho/Goodman (DU) leading Jordan Snyder/Spahic
(SIU), 7-4
Order of finish: 2,1
