DES MOINES, Iowa – The Drake University men's tennis team dropped a tough 4-3 decision to New Mexico Sunday afternoon but rebounded with a 5-2 victory at Omaha to earn the Bulldogs inaugural Summit League win Sunday night.
 
After dropping the doubles point, Drake's Vinny Gillespie tied the match up 1-1 with a straight sets, 6-3, 6-4 over New Mexico's Bart Van Leijsen at No. 1 singles.
 
"Getting Vinny back in the win column was a positive and getting us on the board after a tough doubles point loss was great for us," said Drake head coach Davidson Kozlowski.
 
Junior Ben Clark improved to 5-0 this season and gave Drake a 2-1 lead with another strong performance, winning 6-2, 6-4 at No. 4 singles.
 
"Ben Clark has been an incredible contributor this year, so that has been a real bright spot for us," said Kozlowski.
 
Ben Wood dropped the first set 6-4, but bounced back to take the second set 6-0 to force a deciding set with UNM's Jorge Escutia. Escutia managed to win the third set 6-2 and tie the match up at 2-2.
 
The Lobos regained the lead with a win on court No. 6, but Drake's Barny Thorold earned a straight sets win 7-6, 6-2 to knot up it up at three all.
 
Drake's Tom Hands took the first set 6-2, but 72nd-ranked Ricky Hernandez Tong came back to win the final two sets 6-4, 6-4 to secure the 4-3 win for the Lobos.
 
In the nightcap, Drake got back on track in doubles and won the double point over Omaha.
 
Then in singles, the Bulldogs kept on rolling and won the first set on all six courts.
 
Hands cruised past Abdoul Ouattara, 6-2, 6-2, at No. 2 singles, while freshman Finley Hall gave Drake a 3-0 with his 6-0, 6-4 win at No. 6 singles. Fellow freshman Freddie Powell clinched the Bulldog victory with a 6-1, 6-2 win at No. 5. Clark kept his unblemished record with his 6-3, -64 win at No. 4 for Drake's final victory of the day.
 
The Bulldogs have a busy weekend ahead of them as they host Summit League foe South Dakota State on Friday at 9 a.m. and then welcome in-state rivals Iowa Friday night at 6 p.m. Drake closes out the weekend with a doubleheader against Arizona and IUPUI on Saturday starting at 1 p.m.
 
New Mexico 4, Drake 3
Feb 04, 2018 at Des Moines, Iowa (Roger Knapp Tennis Center) 

Singles competition

1. Vinny Gillespie (DU) def. Van Leijsen (NM) 6-3, 6-4

2. #72 Hernandez Tong (NM) def. Tom Hands (DU) 2-6, 6-4, 6-4

3. Barny Thorold (DU) def. West (NM) 7-6, 6-2

4. #124 Ben Clark (DU) def. Escutia (NM) 6-2, 6-4

5. Holis (NM) def. Ben Wood (DU) 6-4, 0-6, 6-2

6. Baklini (NM) def. Freddie Powell (DU) 7-6, 6-4

 

Doubles competition

1. Vinny Gillespie/Barny Thorold (DU) def. Van Leijsen/Escutia (NM) 6-4

2. Hernandez Tong/West (NM) def. Ben Wood/Ben Clark (DU) 7-5

3. Holis/Baklini (NM) def. Tom Hands/Finley Hall (DU) 6-3

 

Match Notes

Drake 3-4

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

 
Drake 5, Omaha 2
Feb 04, 2018 at Omaha. NE (Mireacle Hill Tennis Center) 

Singles competition

1. Razvan Grigorescu (OMAHA) def. Vinny Gillespie (DU) 4-6, 6-2, 1-0 (10-4)

2. Tom Hands (DU) def. Abdoul Ouattara (OMAHA) 6-2, 6-2

3. Nathan Reekie (OMAHA) def. Barny Thorold (DU) 3-6, 6-3, 1-0 (10-6)

4. #124 Ben Clark (DU) def. Matt Dunn (OMAHA) 6-3, 6-4

5. Freddie Powell (DU) def. Alex Woodward (OMAHA) 6-1, 6-2

6. Finley Hall (DU) def. Marko Minic (OMAHA) 6-0, 6-4

 

Doubles competition

1. Vinny Gillespie/Barny Thorold (DU) def. Abdoul Ouattara/Nathan Reekie (OMAHA) 6-4

2. Finley Hall/Ben Wood (DU) def. Razvan Grigorescu/Alex Woodward (OMAHA) 6-2

3. Luke Moorhead/Matt Dunn (OMAHA) def. Tom Hands/Ben Clark (DU) 6-3

 

Match Notes

Drake 4-4

Omaha 1-5

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

T-3:00