DES MOINES – The Drake University men's tennis team hits the road this weekend for three duals in three cities. The Bulldogs will face Illinois State, Indiana and Purdue.
 
Drake (2-12) played three duals at home last weekend, beating DePaul before falling to Michigan State and New Mexico.
 
Illinois State (11-5) hosts the Bulldogs on Thursday at 1 p.m. It will mark the beginning of Summit League play for both sides. The Redbirds have won five duals in a row and sport a 5-1 mark at home this season.
 
Diego Le Gal Perez, the reigning Summit League Player of the Week, leads the charge for Illinois State. Drake won 5-2 against Illinois State last season in Des Moines.
 
Drake faces Indiana (6-3) on Friday at 6 p.m. Like Illinois State, the Hoosiers will enter the match having won their last five contests. Bennett Crane is the player to watch for Indiana.
 
Crane, the No. 86 singles player in the nation, has posted a 3-2 mark this season, including a 2-1 record against ranked foes. Crane and his doubles partner, Zac Brodney, are ranked No. 42 in the country. The two are 6-2 this season.
 
The Bulldogs topped the Hoosiers, 4-1, last year in Des Moines.
 
Drake will conclude the weekend against Purdue (9-5) on Sunday at 11 a.m. The Boilermakers will look to improve on their 7-2 record at home this year. Athell Bennett, the No. 20 singles player in the nation, occupies the No. 1 spot for Purdue. Bennett is 7-2 on the season.
 
Drake bested Purdue, 4-2, at the Roger Knapp Tennis Center in 2019.