DES MOINES – The Drake University men's tennis team dropped an evenly matched dual to New Mexico, 4-1, on Saturday night at the Roger Knapp Tennis Center. The dual featured five tiebreakers.
 
New Mexico took the doubles point in dramatic fashion. The Lobos opened with a 6-4 win over Barny Thorold/Oliver Johansson on Court 1. Reid Jarvis/Matija Matic responded with a 6-4 win on Court 2, leaving the doubles point to the result of Court 3.
 
Finley Hall/Evan Fragistas led 2-1 before falling behind 2-3. They fought back to knot the dual at 6-6 and force a tiebreaking game, but Hall/Fragistas fell in the decisive game, 7-1.
 
Matic fell on Court 5, 6-2, 6-3 as New Mexico expanded its lead to 2-0. Matic overcame a deficit to tie the second set at 3-3, but dropped the final three games.
 
The Lobos' lead grew to 3-0 after Fragistas lost 6-4, 6-4 at No. 3. Fragistas led 4-3 in the first set, but couldn't seal the deal. In the second set, he tied it up 4-4 after previously trailing 4-2. Fragistas ultimately dropped the two ensuing games.
 
The Bulldogs rebounded when Johansson claimed a 7-6, 6-2 win at No. 1, cutting New Mexico's lead to 3-1.
 
New Mexico closed Drake out with a 7-6, 7-6 defeat of Jarvis at No. 4. Jarvis refused to concede easily in the second set tiebreaker, forcing a marathon game that ended in the Lobos' favor.
 
Thorold (6-2, 2-6, 5-5) and David Nyman (6-7, 5-6) went unfinished.
 
Drake (2-12) returns to action on Feb. 27 when it hits the road to face Illinois State. The action is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.

Singles competition

1. Oliver Johansson (DU) def. WEST, Dominic (NM) 7-6, 6-2

2. Barny Thorold (DU) vs. HOLIS, Stepan (NM) 6-2, 2-6, 5-5, unfinished

3. MOLINA, Sergio (NM) def. Evan Fragistas (DU) 6-4, 6-4

4. DOBAI, Raul (NM) def. Reid Jarvis (DU) 7-6, 7-6

5. BERMEJO, Facundo (NM) def. Matija Matic (DU) 6-2, 6-3

6. David Nyman (DU) vs. ABDULSALAM, Rafael (NM) 6-7, 5-6, unfinished

 

Doubles competition

1. TRONDSON, Jake/DOBAI, Raul (NM) def. Barny Thorold/Oliver Johansson (DU) 6-4

2. Reid Jarvis/Matija Matic (DU) def. WEST, Dominic/MOLINA, Sergio (NM) 6-4

3. BERMEJO, Facundo/HOLIS, Stepan (NM) def. Finley Hall/Evan Fragistas (DU) 7-6 (7-1)

 

Match Notes

New Mexico 4-4

Drake 2-12

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

T-3:09 A-68