NORMAL, Ill. – The Drake men's tennis team extended its winning streak to nine registering a 6-1 triumph at Illinois State (7-11, 1-2 MVC) on Saturday (April 12).
The Bulldogs (18-5, 2-0 MVC) grinded out victories at the Nos. 2 and 3 doubles positions to garner the point and assume a 1-0 lead entering singles action.
Clinching the deciding tally with a 8-7 (1) triumph at the No. 2 doubles slot over M. Appanervanda and Urh Krajnc Domiter was the Drake tandem of juniors Ben Mullis (Leicestershire, England) and Alen Salibasic (Tuzla, Bosnia & Herzegovina).
Senior Robin Goodman (Cambridge, England) opened singles play edging Jakub Eisner at the No. 3 position, 6-1, 6-1.
Extending Drake's lead to 3-0 with a 1-6, 6-0, 6-3 decision past Domiter at No. 4 was junior Matt Frost (Cambridge, England).
The Redbirds' Erik Brunskog got Illinois State on the board with a 3-6, 6-1, 7-6 (1) triumph over Salibasic on the top court to cut Drake's lead to 3-1.
Collecting the match-clinching tally for the Bulldogs at No. 6 was Mullis, who bested Rolando Torrellas, 6-4, 7-6 (7).
Drake also received victories at the Nos. 2 and 5 positions, respectively, from sophomore Ben Lott (Newcastle, England) and junior Ravi Patel (London, England).
Lott netted a 6-3, 2-6, 6-3 triumph over Jacob Wilson at No. 2, while Patel bested Appanervanda, 6-2, 1-6, 6-2 at No. 5.
Drake closes out its road swing with a 1:00 p.m. match at Bradley on Sunday (April 13).
NO. 38 DRAKE (18-5, 2-0 MVC) DEF. ILLINOIS STATE (7-11, 1-2 MVC)
APRIL 12, 2014 • NORMAL, ILL.
SINGLES:
No. 1 Erik Brunskog (ILST) def. Alen Salibasic (DU), 3-6, 6-1, 7-6 (1)
No. 2 Ben Lott (DU) def. Jacob Wilson (ILST), 6-3, 2-6, 6-3
No. 3 Robin Goodman (DU) def. Jakub Eisner (ILST), 6-1, 6-1
No. 4 Matt Frost (DU) def. Urh Krajnc Domiter (ILST), 1-6, 6-0, 6-3
No. 5 Ravi Patel (DU) def. M. Appanervanda (ILST), 6-2, 1-6, 6-2
No. 6 Ben Mullis (DU) def. Rolando Torrellas (ILST), 6-4, 7-6 (7)
Order of finish: 3,4,1,6,2,5
DOUBLES:
No. 1 Eisner/Torrellas (ILST) def. Goodman/Lott (DU), 8-7 (3)
No. 2 Mullis/Salibasic (DU) def. Appanervanda/Krajnc Domiter (ILST), 8-7 (1)
No. 3 Frost/Patel (DU) def. Oliveira/Steffens (ILST), 8-2
Order of finish: 3,1,2
