EAST LANSING, Mich. – The Drake University men's team swept a pair of Michigan opponents on the road Sunday as it rallied to beat Western Michigan, 6-1, and capped the day with a 4-3 win over Michigan State.
 
Michigan State (5-10) is the fourth Big Ten foe defeated by Drake (13-7) this season. The Bulldogs clinched the doubles points when Calum MacGeoch/Finley Hall defeated Colin Harvey/John Carlin (MSU) 6-2 in the No. 3 match. In the No. 1 match, Vinny Gillespie/Bayo Philips defeated Ivan Rakic/Billy Shisler (MSU) 6-2 for the team's first doubles win.
 
The teams traded wins in the first four completed singles matches. Barny Thorold won his No. 4 match but Hall lost his No. 6 match. #78 Tom Hands claimed his No. 2 match while Gillespie (#57) lost a hard-fought match at No. 1 to #91 Jack Winkler, 4-6, 6-1, 6-1. However, MacGeoch outlasted Nick Williams in the No. 5 match, winning 7-5, 7-6 (7-5), and giving the Bulldogs their second win of the day.
 
In the morning, Western Michigan (8-7) took the doubles points with wins in the No. 3 and No. 2 matches, respectively. However, Drake answered with victories in all six singles matches to cruise to the victory.
 
Drake continues its road trip with a match at No. 45 Tulsa March 16.
 
Drake 6, Western Michigan 1
Singles competition
1. Vinny Gillespie (DU) def. Jannik Opitz (MTENWMU) 6-3, 6-3
2. Tom Hands (DU) def. Matej Svjetlicic (MTENWMU) 6-3, 6-4
3. Bayo Philips (DU) def. Lenhard Haupt (MTENWMU) 6-3, 7-6 (7-4)
4. Barny Thorold (DU) def. Jack Randall (MTENWMU) 6-7 (7-9), 6-4, 10-8
5. Finley Hall (DU) def. Peter Kuszynski (MTENWMU) 7-6 (7-2), 3-6, 6-3
6. Ben Clark (DU) def. Nick Schnobel (MTENWMU) 5-7, 7-5, 10-5
 
Doubles competition
1. Jack Randall/Peter Kuszynski (MTENWMU) vs. Vinny Gillespie/Bayo Philips (DU) 5-6, unfinished
2. Jannik Opitz/Kennosuke Nouchi (MTENWMU) def. Calum MacGeoch/Tom Hands (DU) 6-4
3. Nick Schnobel/Lenhard Haupt (MTENWMU) def. Ben Clark/Finley Hall (DU) 6-3
 
Match Notes:
Drake 12-7
Western Michigan 8-7
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2); Singles (1,2,3,5,6,4)
 
Drake 4, Michigan State 3
Singles competition
1. #91 Jack Winkler (MSU) def. #57 Vinny Gillespie (DU) 4-6, 6-1, 6-1
2. #78 Tom Hands (DU) def. John Carlin (MSU) 6-3, 6-1
3. Ivan Rakic (MSU) def. Bayo Philips (DU) 7-6 (7-3), 6-7 (3-7), 10-7
4. Barny Thorold (DU) def. Anthony Pero (MSU) 6-2, 6-1
5. Calum MacGeoch (DU) def. Nick Williams (MSU) 7-5, 7-6 (7-5)
6. Carson Gates (MSU) def. Finley Hall (DU) 6-3, 6-1
 
Doubles competition
1. Vinny Gillespie/Bayo Philips (DU) def. Ivan Rakic/Billy Shisler (MSU) 6-2
2. Jack Winkler/Nick Williams (MSU) def. Barny Thorold/Tom Hands (DU) 5-3
3. Calum MacGeoch/Finley Hall (DU) def. Colin Harvey/John Carlin (MSU) 6-2
 
Match Notes:
Drake 13-7
Michigan State 5-10
Order of finish: Doubles (1,3); Singles (4,6,2,1,5,3)
T-2:45