WICHITA, Kan. – The 51^st-ranked Drake University men's tennis team comeback fell short as the top-seeded Wichita State top the Bulldogs 4-3 in the Missouri Valley Conference Championship on Sunday (May 1), earning the league's automatic NCAA Tournament berth.

Drake will now await the NCAA Tournament selection show on Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. on NCAA.com to see if the Bulldogs' body of work earns them an at-large bid into the 64-team field.

The Shockers jumped to an early 3-0 advantage after capturing win at Nos. 1 and 2 doubles spots to earn the doubles point and taking Nos. 4 and 5 singles.

Sophomore Calum MacGeoch got the Bulldogs on the board with a 6-3, 7-6 victory over Jocelyn Devilliers at the No. 3 spot. After dropping the first set 6-0, senior Ben Lott came back to win the final two sets, 7-6, 6-2 to defeat 83^rd-ranked Tin Ostojic to put Drake within one, 3-2. Freshman Vinny Gillespie tied the match up at three with a three-set victory over Miroslav Herzan, 6-7, 7-5, 6-3.

The championship point came down to court six between Ben Stride and Sergio de Vilchez. Stride dominated the first set, winning 6-0, but de Vilchez managed to win the final two set 6-4, 6-4 to give the Shockers the victory.

Wichita State 4, #51 Drake 3
May 01, 2016 at Wichita, Kan. (Sheldon Coleman Tennis Complex) 

Singles competition

1. Lott, Ben (DU) def. #83 Tin Ostojic (WSU) 0-6, 7-6, 6-2

2. Gillespie, Vinny (DU) def. Miroslav Herzan (WSU) 6-7, 7-5, 6-3

3. MacGeoch, Calum (DU) def. Jocelyn Devilliers (WSU) 6-3, 7-6

4. Haru Inoue (WSU) def. Philips, Bayo (DU) 6-4, 6-2

5. Eddie Stoica (WSU) def. Hands, Tom (DU) 7-5, 6-2

6. Sergio de Vilchez (WSU) def. Stride, Ben (DU) 0-6, 6-4, 6-4

 

Doubles competition

1. Jocelyn Devilliers/Tin Ostojic (WSU) def. Philips, Bayo/Wood, Ben (DU) 7-5

2. #86 Miroslav Herzan/Haru Inoue (WSU) def. Lott, Ben/Stride, Ben (DU) 6-2

3. Sergio de Vilchez/Eddie Stoica (WSU) vs. Gillespie, Vinny/MacGeoch, Calum (DU) 6-6, unfinished

 

Match Notes

Drake 17-12; National ranking #51

Wichita State 17-10

Order of finish: Doubles (2,1); Singles (4,5,3,1,2,6)

MVC Men's Tennis Tournament - Championship

Wichita State wins 2016 MVC Championship