OMAHA, Neb. - The 23rd-ranked Drake men's tennis team successfully opened defense of its 2012 Missouri Valley Conference championship registering a 6-1 victory past Creighton on Saturday (March 30).

The Bulldogs garnered the only point they needed in the affair sweeping all three doubles matches.

Clinching the point for Drake on the No. 2 court with an 8-3 triumph over Brandon Lee and Sean Mathison was the tandem of senior James McKie (Edinburgh, Scotland) and sophomore Ben Mullis (Leicestershire, England).

Junior Robin Goodman (Cambridge, England) extended the margin to 2-0 in singles on the strength of his team-leading 32nd singles victory of the season, a 6-0, 6-0 decision versus Elliott Baker at the No. 3 position.

Sophomore Alen Salibasic (Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina) extended the lead to 3-0, dispatching Ryan Norman on the No. 2 court, 6-0, 6-3.

Netting the match-clinching tally at the top slot was McKie, who posted a 6-1, 6-2 decision past Mathison.

Drake also received victories at the Nos. 4 and 5 positions from Mullis and sophomore Grant Tesmer (Lincoln, Neb.).

Mullis collected a 6-1, 6-3 win against Quinn Dippel, while Tesmer notched his 11th-straight singles triumph with a 6-0, 6-3 victory over Lee.

The Bulldogs face a stiff test in their next league match as Drake visits Wichita State for a 10:00 a.m. match on April 7.

NO. 23 DRAKE (18-2, 1-0 MVC) DEF. CREIGHTON (6-5, 0-1 MVC), 6-1

MARCH 30, 2013 • OMAHA, NEB.

SINGLES:

No. 1 No. 123 James McKie (DU) def. Sean Mathison (CU), 6-1, 6-2

No. 2 No. 122 Alen Salibasic (DU) def. Ryan Norman (CU), 6-0, 6-3

No. 3 Robin Goodman (DU) def. Elliott Baker (CU), 6-0, 6-0

No. 4 Ben Mullis (DU) def. Quinn Dippel (CU), 6-1, 6-3

No. 5 Grant Tesmer (DU) def. Brandon Lee (CU), 6-0, 6-3

No. 6 Anthony Rauschenbach (CU) def. Ryan Drake (DU), 6-4, 3-6, 10-7

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

DOUBLES:

No. 1 Erasmus/Goodman (DU) def. Norman/Nick Thompson (CU), 8-3

No. 2 McKie/Mullis (DU) def. Lee/Mathison (CU), 8-3

No. 3 Drake/Tesmer (DU) def. Baker/August Nysted (CU), 8-7 (7)

Order of finish: 1,2,3