ATLANTA, Ga. – The 39th-ranked Drake men's tennis team opened its cross-country spring break trip with a 4-1 victory past No. 67 New Mexico (15-6) on Sunday (March 16).

Weather forced play indoors where only two courts were available for competition. This resulted in singles matches being played first in the third-ever meeting between the two schools.

Sophomore Ben Lott (Newcastle, England) gave the Bulldogs (10-5) a 1-0 advantage in singles besting Hayden Sabatka on the No. 2 court, 6-2, 6-4.

Andy Van Der Vyver evened the affair at one for the Lobos registering a 6-2, 6-1 triumph over junior Matt Frost (Cambridge, England) at the No. 4 position.

Junior Alen Salibasic (Tuzla, Bosnia & Herzegovina) put Drake ahead to stay in the match downing Samir Iftikhar at the top singles slot, 6-2, 7-6 (4).

Junior Ravi Patel (London, England) extended the Bulldogs' lead to 3-1 at No. 5, dispatching James Hignett, 6-1, 7-6 (5).

Junior Ben Mullis (Leicestershire, England) followed by recording his second consecutive match-clincher garnering a hard-fought 7-6 (3), 7-6 (3) decision past Mads Hegelund on the No. 6 court.

The Bulldogs return to action later this evening battling No. 71 Georgia State in a 5:00 p.m. CT match.

NO. 39 DRAKE (10-5) DEF. NO. 67 NEW MEXICO (15-6), 4-1

MARCH 16, 2014 • ATLANTA, GA.

SINGLES:

No. 1 Alen Salibasic (DU) def. Samir Iftikhar (NM), 6-2, 7-6 (4)

No. 2 Ben Lott (DU) def. Hayden Sabatka (NM), 6-2, 6-4

No. 3 Robin Goodman (DU) vs. Rodolfo Jauregui (NM), not contested

No. 4 Andy Van Der Vyver (NM) def. Matt Frost (DU), 6-2, 6-1

No. 5 Ravi Patel (DU) def. James Hignett (NM), 6-1, 7-6 (5)

No. 6 Ben Mullis (DU) def. Mads Hegelund (NM), 7-6 (3), 7-6 (3)

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

DOUBLES:

No. 1 Goodman/Lott (DU) vs. Hignett/Iftikhar (NM), not contested

No. 2 Mullis/Salibasic (DU) vs. Sabatka/Van Der Vyver (NM), not contested

No. 3 Frost/Patel (DU) vs. Jauregui/Mitchell McDaniels (NM), not contested

Order of Finish: NA