DENVER, Colo. – The Drake University men's tennis team dropped a tough 4-3 decision to the Denver Pioneers on Friday at the Lifetime Fitness Centennial.
 
The Bulldogs didn't let dropping the doubles point affect them early in singles with sophomore Tom Hands cruising past Wyatt Lovera 6-4, 6-1 at No. 4 singles to tie the match up at 1-1. Junior Bayo Philips put Drake up 2-1 with a straight sets victory over Pedro Del Valle, 6-4, 6-4 at No. 6. Vinny Gillespie overcame from being down a set give the Bulldogs a 3-1 advantage with a 3-6, 7-5, 6-3 win at No. 1.
 
The Pioneers managed to tie it up at 3-3 with a pair three-set victories at No. 2 and No. 5 singles, respectively. Denver's Alex Gasson was able to slip past Ben Stride in a thrilling third-set tiebreaker to give the Pioneers the 4-3 win.
 
Drake will have a quick turnaround as the Bulldogs will square against UC Santa Barbara on Saturday in Denver.
 
Denver 4, Drake 3
March 31, 2017 at Denver, Colo. (Lifetime Fitness Centennial)
 
Singles competition
1. Gillespie, Vinny (DU) def. Yannik James (DEN) 3-6, 7-5, 6-3
2. Diogo Rocha (DEN) def. MacGeoch, Calum (DU) 4-6, 6-4, 6-0
3. Alex Gasson (DEN) def. Stride, Ben (DU) 1-6, 6-3, 7-6
4. Hands, Tom (DU) def. Wyatt Lovera (DEN) 6-4, 6-1
5. Jesse Ruder-Hook (DEN) def. Thorold, Barnaby (DU) 1-6, 6-2, 6-4
6. Philips, Bayo (DU) def. Pedro F. Del Valle (DEN) 6-4, 6-4
 
Doubles competition
1. Alex Gasson/Yannik James (DEN) def. Gillespie, Vinny/Hands, Tom (DU) 6-4
2. Diogo Rocha/Jesse Ruder-Hook (DEN) vs. Philips, Bayo/Thorold, Barnaby (DU) 5-4, unfinished
3. Wyatt Lovera/Pedro F. Del Valle (DEN) def. MacGeoch, Calum/Wood, Ben (DU) 6-4
 
Match Notes:
Order of finish: Doubles (1,3); Singles (4,6,1,2,5,3)