NORMAL, Ill. – The Drake women's tennis team closed its regular season with a bang registering a come-from-behind 4-3 victory at Illinois State on Sunday (April 21).
The triumph clinches the No. 3 seed for the Bulldogs at next week's Missouri Valley Conference Championship in Wichita, Kan., while also representing the first road victory for Drake over the Redbirds since 1999.
Illinois State snatched the early momentum in the affair with wins at the top-two doubles slots to take a 1-0 lead into singles action.
Freshman Jordan Eggleston (LaQuinta, Calif.) got Drake on the scoreboard opening singles with a 7-5, 6-2 triumph past Stefanie Youngberg at the No. 5 position.
The Redbirds looked poised to claim the victory following consecutive wins at the Nos. 2 and 3 spots to regain a 3-1 lead.
Freshman Mariel Ante (Riverside, Calif.) began the Bulldogs' comeback besting Gabby Phillips at No. 6, 7-6 (7), 6-2.
Junior Klavdija Rebol (Kranj, Slovenia) followed with a 5-7, 6-4, 6-2 triumph over Emmie Marx at the top spot to even the affair at three.
For the second day in a row, it was sophomore Nell Boyd (Arlington Heights, Ill.) garnering the match-clinching tally. Boyd's 7-5, 1-6, 6-4 decision versus Kadi Ilves gave Drake its third consecutive winning campaign.
The Bulldogs now await tournament pairings to see which MVC team they will battle on Friday (April 26).
DRAKE (12-9, 5-2 MVC) DEF. ILLINOIS STATE (9-12, 4-3 MVC), 4-3
APRIL 21, 2013 • NORMAL, ILL.
SINGLES:
No. 1 Klavdija Rebol (DU) def. Emmie Marx (ILST), 5-7, 6-4, 6-2
No. 2 Phyllis Tigges (ILST) def. Evy Van Genechten (DU), 6-4, 6-2
No. 3 Carolina Abello (ILST) def. Lea Kozulic (DU), 6-3, 6-0
No. 4 Nell Boyd (DU) def. Kadi Ilves (ILST), 7-5, 1-6, 6-4
No. 5 Jordan Eggleston (DU) def. Stefanie Youngberg (ILST), 7-5, 6-2
No. 6 Mariel Ante (DU) def. Gabby Phillips (ILST), 7-6 (7), 6-2
Order of finish: 5,3,2,6,1,4
DOUBLES:
No. 1 Ilves/Tigges (ILST) def. Eggleston/Rebol (DU), 8-5
No. 2 Marx/Youngberg (ILST) def. Boyd/Van Genechten (DU), 8-5
No. 3 Ante/Ali Patterson (DU) leading Abello/Heather Nisbet (ILST), 6-5 unfinished
Order of finish: 1, 2
