DES MOINES, Iowa – The Drake University men's tennis team dropped a hard-fought match to Utah Thursday evening at the Roger Knapp Tennis Center. Utah, out of the Pac-12, prevailed by a 4-3 margin with the Utes winning four singles matches.
 
Drake (0-2) opened the match with the doubles point as Matija Matic and Markus Bolin opened with a 6-2 win followed by Oliver Johansson and Benedek Herman winning, 6-3.
 
Evan Fragistas gave the Bulldogs a 2-0 lead by cruising at No. 4 singles, 6-2, 6-0. However, Utah (8-3) came roaring back with four-straight wins to defeat the Bulldogs. The match was decided at No. 3 singles when Utah's Francisco Bastias held off Drake's Matija Matic, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 to seal the Utes' road win. 
 
After the match had been decided, Drake's Markus Bolin rallied back for a 2-6, 6-0, 7-6 win at No. 6 singles.
 
The Bulldogs remain home for their next match, Feb. 28, when they begin Summit League against against Illinois State at 3 p.m.
 
Utah 4, Drake 3
2/25/2021 at Des Moines, Iowa (Roger Knapp Tennis Center)
Singles competition
1. Slava Shainyan (UTAH) def. Oliver Johansson (DU) 6-4, 6-4
2. Geronimo Busleiman (UTAH) def. Benedek Herman (DU) 6-1, 6-4
3. Francisco Bastias (UTAH) def. Matija Matic (DU) 6-3, 4-6, 6-3
4. Evan Fragistas (DU) def. Mathias Gavelin (UTAH) 6-2, 6-0
5. Bruno Krenn (UTAH) def. Freddie Powell (DU) 3-6, 6-3, 6-4
6. Markus Bolin (DU) def. Chris Heck (UTAH) 2-6, 6-0, 7-6
 
Doubles competition
1. Oliver Johansson/Benedek Herman (DU) def. Francisco Bastias/Geronimo Busleiman (UTAH) 6-3
2. Matija Metic/Markus Bolin (DU) def. Slava Shainyan/Mathias Gavelin (UTAH) 6-2
3. Bruno Krenn/Luis Flores (UTAH) def. Freddie Powell/Evan Fragistas (DU) 4-3
 
Match Notes
Utah 8-3
Drake 0-2
Order of finish: Doubles (2,1); Singles (4,2,1,5,3,6)