AMES, Iowa - In a match that lasted more than five hours, the 72nd-rated Drake women's tennis team earned a 5-2 triumph past Iowa State (8-5) on Friday (March 7).

The Bulldogs (8-2) staked themselves to a 1-0 advantage in the in-state affair on the strength of claiming the doubles point with victories at the Nos. 2 and 3 positions.

Clinching the doubles tally for Drake with an 8-7 (4) triumph over Meghan Cassens and Ana Gasparovic was the No. 2 duo of junior Nell Boyd (Arlington Heights, Ill.) and sophomore Jordan Eggleston (LaQuinta, Calif.).

Eggleston extended the Bulldogs' lead to 2-0 in singles besting Talisa Merchiers, 6-1, 6-4, on the No. 5 court.

The Cyclones cut the deficit to 2-1 with a 6-4, 6-4 victory by Ksenia Pronina over senior Klavdija Rebol (Kranj, Slovenia) at the No. 1 position.

Sophomore Mariel Ante's (Riverside, Calif.) 7-6 (4), 6-7 (4), 6-3 triumph past Samantha Budai on the No. 2 court gave the Bulldogs a 3-1 lead.

Clinching the match for Drake at No. 3 was sophomore Maddie Johnson (Onalaska, Wis.), who edged Cassens, 7-5, 6-4.

Boyd capped the Bulldogs' victory total besting Gasparovic on the No. 4 court, 2-6, 7-5, 6-4.

Drake returns to action on March 16 traveling to Columbia, Mo., to battle Missouri in a 6:00 p.m. match.

NO. 72 DRAKE (8-2) DEF. IOWA STATE (8-5), 5-2

MARCH 7, 2014 • AMES, IOWA

SINGLES:

No. 1 Ksenia Pronina (ISU) def. Klavdija Rebol (DU), 6-4, 6-4

No. 2 Mariel Ante (DU) def. Samantha Budai (ISU), 7-6 (4), 6-7 (4), 6-3

No. 3 Maddie Johnson (DU) def. Meghan Cassens (ISU), 7-5, 6-4

No. 4 Nell Boyd (DU) def. Ana Gasparovic (ISU), 2-6, 7-5, 6-4

No. 5 Jordan Eggleston (DU) def. Talisa Merchiers (ISU), 6-1, 6-4

No. 6 Emma Waites (ISU) def. Lea Kozulic (DU), 6-0, 6-2

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

DOUBLES:

No. 1 Budai/Pronina (ISU) def. Ante/Kozulic (DU), 8-3

No. 2 Boyd/Eggleston (DU) def. Cassens/Gasparovic (ISU), 8-7 (4)

No. 3 Johnson/Rebol (DU) def. Caroline Anderson/Waites (ISU), 8-3

Order of Finish: 1,3,2