NORFOLK, Va. – The Drake University men's tennis team closed its regular season with a thrilling 4-3 win at Old Dominion that came down to the final set of the final match.
 
Ben Clark earned a come-from-behind 1-6, 6-2, 6-2 win at No. 6 singles to break the stalemate and send the Bulldogs back to Des Moines with the win and a 17-13 record in the regular season. The team will have two weeks to prepare for the upcoming Summit League Championship.
 
Drake took an early lead in the match with the doubles point and then took a 3-1 lead with wins from Barny Thorold and Bayo Philips at No. 5 and 4 singles, respectively. However, ODU rallied back with wins at No. 2 and 3 singles to tie the match as Clark battled at No. 6 singles with the match hanging in the balance.
 
Clark then bounced back from the first-set to hold off Oliver Tobisch in the third set, 6-2, to clinch the match.
 
Drake 4, Old Dominion 3
4/13/2019 at Norfolk, Va. (Folkes-Stevens Tennis Center)
Singles competition
1. Aziz Kljametovic (ODU) def. Vinny Gillespie (DU) 6-4, 6-4
2. Francois Musitelli (ODU) def. Tom Hands (DU) 6-0, 7-6
3. Jannik Giesse (ODU) def. Calum MacGeoch (DU) 6-4, 7-6
4. Bayo Philips (DU) def. Luca Maldoner (ODU) 7-5, 6-3
5. Barny Thorold (DU) def. Nicola Vidal (ODU) 6-2, 6-2
6. Ben Clark (DU) def. Oliver Tobisch (ODU) 1-6, 6-2, 6-2
 
Doubles competition
1. Aziz Kljametovic/Francois Musitelli (ODU) def. Vinny Gillespie/Barny Thorold (DU) 6-3
2. Bayo Philips/Tom Hands (DU) def. Luca Maldoner/Nicola Vidal (ODU) 6-3
3. Calum MacGeoch/Ben Clark (DU) def. Jannik Giesse/Oliver Tobisch (ODU) 7-5
 
Match Notes
Drake 17-13
Old Dominon 11-9
Order of finish: Doubles (1,2,3); Singles (1,5,4,2,3,6)