LINCOLN, Neb. - The Drake women's tennis team registered its sixth consecutive victory with a 5-2 triumph past Nebraska (5-4) on Friday (Feb. 28).

The Bulldogs (6-1) won their second straight decision over an opponent from the Big Ten Conference after edging Wisconsin last Sunday (Feb. 23), 4-3, at the Roger Knapp Tennis Center.

The Huskers, the 2013 Big Ten Conference regular season champions, were ranked as high as No. 25 in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) national poll this season, after reaching the third round of the NCAA Championship a year ago.

“To beat the 2013 Big Ten Champions on their home court is huge for our program,” Drake head coach Sadhaf Pervez commented. “My mentor and head coach Scott Jacobson said it the best, we just outcompeted them today, plain and simple. I am so proud of how relentless we are becoming and truly believe that we can compete against the top schools if we take care of ourselves. We still have a lot to prove and need to bounce back and play Colorado State tomorrow morning. We only have six players so we have to be ready for every match.” 

Drake established the early momentum in the affair capturing victories at the Nos. 2 and 3 doubles positions to secure the doubles tally.

Junior Nell Boyd (Arlington Heights, Ill.) and sophomore Jordan Eggleston (LaQuinta, Calif.) opened doubles play registering an 8-3 decision past Izabelle Zgierska and Maike Zeppernick on the No. 2 court.

Sophomore Maddie Johnson (Onalaska, Wis.) and senior Klavdija Rebol (Kranj, Slovenia) then clinched the doubles point for the Bulldogs besting Lisa Andersson and Hannah Sulz, 8-5, at the No. 3 position.

The Huskers opened singles action with a 6-0, 6-0 victory by Zeppernick over sophomore Lea Kozulic (Verazdin, Croatia) on court No. 5 to even the affair at one.

Johnson put Drake went ahead to stay in the match dispatching Mary Hanna at No. 3, 6-4, 6-2.

Sophomore Mariel Ante (Riverside, Calif.) extended the Bulldogs' advantage to 3-1 on the strength of a 6-1, 6-4 victory at No. 2 versus Zgierska.

Clinching the triumph for Drake on the No. 6 court was Eggleston, who recorded a 6-1, 6-2 win against Sulz.

Following a Nebraska victory at No. 1, Boyd capped the evening for the Bulldogs with a 6-3, 1-6, 6-2 win past Andersson on the No. 4 court.

Drake returns to action on Saturday (March 1) battling Colorado State in an 11:00 a.m. tilt.

DRAKE (6-1) DEF. NEBRASKA (5-4), 5-2

FEB. 28, 2014 • LINCOLN, NEB.

SINGLES:

No. 1 Maggy Lehmicke (NEB) def. Klavdija Rebol (DU), 7-6 (9), 6-1

No. 2 Mariel Ante (DU) def. Izabelle Zgierska (NEB), 6-1, 6-4

No. 3 Maddie Johnson (DU) def. Mary Hanna (NEB), 6-4, 6-2

No. 4 Nell Boyd (DU) def. Lisa Andersson (NEB), 6-3, 1-6, 6-2

No. 5 Maike Zeppernick (NEB) def. Lea Kozulic (DU), 6-0, 6-0

No. 6 Jordan Eggleston (DU) def. Hannah Sulz (NEB), 6-1, 6-2

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

DOUBLES:

No. 1 Hanna/Lehmicke (NEB) leading Ante/Kozulic (DU), 7-4 unfinished

No. 2 Boyd/Eggleston (DU) def. Zeppernick/Zgierska (NEB), 8-3

No. 3 Johnson/Rebol (DU) def. Andersson/Sulz (NEB), 8-5

Order of Finish: 2,3