DEKALB, Ill. – Drake University men's tennis elevated its winning streak to a baker's dozen with a 4-3 road win at Northern Illinois. Needing comebacks in both singles and doubles play, Drake did just that to win its 13th straight match.
 
Northern Illinois' top doubles duo of Nikola Puntaric and Iker Gaztambide Arrastia won the first tandem match, but Drake (13-2) rebounded in resounding fashion. Arin Menon and Alex Yeager combined for a 6-3 win in the No. 3 tilt before Ben Johnson and Alan Gonzalez secured the doubles point for the Dogs with a 6-4 win in the second position.
 
The singles squabbles went in order with Puntaric and Arrastia taking down Christian Winstead and Alan Gonzalez, respectively, to take the lead in the match.
 
Sam Melaga then beat the Huskies' (11-5) Lorenzo Leti Messina at No. 3, but Federico Scotuzzi mirrored that result with a defeat of Johnson in the next clash.
 
Drake needed wins in the final two matches with Jose Alessandro Hernandez and Arin Menon on the fifth and sixth courts, respectively. Hernandez took care of Chiao Bo Suo Nan in straight sets, but Menon needed a little more time. He eventually earned a 6-7, 6-3, 6-4 victory to lock in Drake's 4-3 triumph.
 
"[It was] a great college match," Drake head coach Justin Stuckey said. "NIU is very well coached and really competes well. Doubles proved to be key for us today. Have to give credit to Arin for coming back to get the match for the team. Overall, a great team win for the guys."
 
Drake will return to Des Moines for its next match on Tuesday, Mar. 24. The Bulldogs are set to host Northwest Missouri State with the mid-week contest getting underway at 5 p.m.