DES MOINES, Iowa – Wichita State fell to No. 38 Drake by a 4-0 score on Friday at the Roger Knapp Tennis Center in Des Moines. Friday's loss drops the Shockers to 17-8 overall and 3-1 in the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) while the Bulldogs moved to 20-5 overall and 4-0 in the Valley.
By defeating the Shockers, No. 38 Drake won the MVC Regular Season Championship and earned the No. 1 seed during next weekend's MVC Tournament Championship. Wichita State will go into the MVC Tournament Championship as the No. 2 seed.
Robin Goodman/Ben Lott defeated Tomislav Gregurovic/Tin Ostojic 8-7(6) at No. 1 doubles to begin doubles play. At No. 2 doubles, Ben Mullis/Alen Salibasic took down Ilija Cuic/Jocelyn Devilliers 8-5 to clinch the doubles point and gave No. 38 Drake the 1-0 dual-match lead.
Matt Frost defeated Guillermo Nicol 6-2, 6-2 to give the Bulldogs a 2-0 advantage. Goodman pushed the No. 38 Drake advantage to 3-0 after winning 6-3, 6-3 against Gregurovic. No. 88 Salibasic won 6-6(9-9) against Cuic by retirement to clinch the regular season championship for the Bulldogs.
Shocker men's tennis head coach Brad Louderback was proud of the way the Shockers performed.
“We played a good match today,” Louderback said. “Our guys played with a lot of class. We outperformed No. 38 Drake as a team in many ways, but the Bulldogs earned the victory. We laid it on the line and that's all we could do.”
Wichita State begins their MVC Tournament Championship title defense on Saturday, April 26 at the Gregory Street Tennis Courts in Normal, Ill at 2 p.m. Due to earning the No. 2 seed, Wichita State has a first round bye in the MVC Tournament Championship.
The Shockers will face the winner of the Illinois State/Southern Illinois regular season finale in the semifinals of the MVC Tournament Championship.
-WICHITA STATE-
#38 Drake 4, Wichita State 0
Singles competition
1. Alen Salibasic (DU) def. Ilija Cuic (WSUM) 6-6(9-9) by retirement
2. Ben Lott (DU) vs. Tin Ostojic (WSUM) 2-6, 5-5, unfinished
3. Robin Goodman (DU) def. Tomislav Gregurovic (WSUM) 6-3, 6-3
4. Matt Frost (DU) def. Guillermo Nicol (WSUM) 6-2, 6-2
5. Ravi Patel (DU) vs. Guillermo de Vilchez (WSUM) 6-3, 0-2, unfinished
6. Mullis, Ben (DU) vs. Jocelyn Devilliers (WSUM) 6-2, 5-2, unfinished
Doubles competition
1. Robin Goodman/Ben Lott (DU) def. Tomislav Gregurovic/Tin Ostojic (WSUM) 8-7(6)
2. Mullis, Ben/Alen Salibasic (DU) def. Ilija Cuic/Jocelyn Devilliers (WSUM) 8-5
3. Matt Frost/Ravi Patel (DU) vs. Guillermo de Vilchez/Guillermo Nicol (WSUM) 5-6, unfinished
Match Notes:
Wichita State 17-8, 3-1 MVC
Drake 20-5, 4-0 MVC; National ranking #38
Order of finish: Doubles (1,2); Singles (4,3,1)
