Des Moines, IA - The Bulldogs stymied Illinois State to win 4-0 in the Summit League Championship semifinals. Drake fed off home crowd energy to breeze past the Redbirds, earning themselves a date with Denver in the Summit League Championship match on Saturday, April 20 at 2 p.m.
Drake 4, Illinois State 0
The Bulldogs used a raucous crowd to their advantage in doubles play, completing a sweep of the Redbirds.
Jeremy Schifris and
Olle Sonesson Lidholt made quick work of Caden Scarlett and Tomas Valencia, winning 6-3 in the third doubles spot.
Matija Matic and
Oliver Johansson battled back from an early doubles deficit to win 6-4 over Tin Ostro and Emiliano Gonzalez and deliver Drake the doubles point.
Matt Clegg and
Markus Bolin were losing 5-4 to Nam Pham and Arvid Hjalte, but their match was abandoned after Drake locked in the doubles point.
Schifris capped off his impressive evening by dominating Hjalte 6-0, 6-1 in the second singles spot. His match finished in under an hour, and he gave the Bulldogs a swift 2-0 advantage. Sonesson Lidholt was the second Bulldog to finish his match, reigning victorious 6-4, 6-4 over Ostro in the sixth singles spot to put Drake within one point of a match victory. Matic wasted no time giving the Bulldogs the win, finishing minutes after Sonesson Lidholt and winning 6-3, 7-5 over Adrian Dibildox. Johansson, Bolin and Clegg's matches were all abandoned after Matic won the fourth point of the match.
Doubles Results (Order of Finish 3, 1)
- Oliver Johansson and Matija Matic (DU) defeated Tin Ostro and Emiliano Gonzalez (ISU) 6-4
- Markus Bolin and Matt Clegg (DU) vs. Nam Pham and Arvid Hjalte (ISU) 4-5, abandoned
- Jeremy Schifris and Olle Sonesson Lidholt (DU) defeated Caden Scarlett and Tomas Valencia (ISU) 6-3
Singles Results (Order of Finish 2, 6, 3)
- Oliver Johansson (DU) vs. Nam Pham (ISU) 4-6, 6-2, abandoned
- Jeremy Schifris (DU) defeated Arvid Hjalte (ISU) 6-0, 6-1
- Matija Matic (DU) defeated Adrian Dibildox (ISU) 6-3, 7-5
- Markus Bolin (DU) vs. Tomas Valencia (ISU) 6-4, 4-5, abandoned
- Matt Clegg (DU) vs. Emiliano Gonzalez (ISU) 7-5, 4-5, abandoned
- Olle Sonesson Lidholt (DU) defeated Tin Ostro (ISU) 6-4, 6-4
