NORMAL, Ill. – Wichita State defeated Southern Illinois 4-0 on Saturday at the Gregory Street Tennis Courts in Normal during the 2014 Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) Team Championship Semifinals. With the win, the Shockers improved to 18-8 on the year while the Salukis dropped to 11-10. Wichita State advances to the MVC Team Championship Final to face No. 39 Drake in what will be a rematch from last season's dramatic MVC Team Championship Final.
Doubles play began with Ibian Hodgson/Jocelyn Devilliers winning 8-1 against Rafael Cuadrillero/Jeremy Dixon at No. 3 doubles. Guillermo Nicol/Guiillermo de Vilchez clinched the doubles point and gave WSU the 1-0 lead after defeating Jorge Cavero/Szymon Opieczonek by a score of 8-3 at No. 2 doubles.
At No. 5 singles, Devilliers won 6-2, 6-2 against Cuadrillero to push the Shocker lead to 2-0. Tomislav Gregurovic took down Cavero 6-2, 6-2 that gave the Shockers a 3-0 match lead at No. 2 singles.
Nicol clinched the match and sent the Shockers to the MVC Team Championship Final after winning 6-2, 6-4 over Michal Kianicka at No. 3 singles.
MVC Team Championship Final Opponent Outlook
No. 39 Drake is 12-5 overall and was a perfect 4-0 in route to their third MVC Regular Season Championship in a row. The Bulldogs have won 12 matches in a row and 16 out of their last 17. No. 39 Drake features one student-athlete ranked in the ITA's National Singles Rankings and two doubles teams who are ranked in the ITA's National Doubles Rankings.
No. 39 Drake's No. 1-No. 3 singles players each have 15 wins out of their flights. No. 71 Alen Salibasic is 16-6 in the spring and also out of the No. 1 singles slot. Ben Lott is 17-6 in dual-match action play and 15-6 at the No. 2 singles position. Robin Goodman is a team-leading 19-3 in dual-match play while 16-3 at No. 3 singles.
No. 42 Robin Goodman/Ravi Patel is 2-3 in the spring and at No. 1 doubles. Salibasic/Ben Mullis is a doubles-leading 9-5 in the spring and 7-5 out of No. 2 doubles. No. 84 Lott/Goodman is 8-7 in the spring and at No. 1 doubles as well. Mullis/Salibasic is 10-5 in the spring and 9-5 at No. 2 doubles.
This Season's Regular Season Finale
Wichita State lost to then No. 38 Drake 4-0 on April 18 that determined the regular season champion and the No. 1 seed in the MVC Team Championship. To view the complete recap, click on the link below:
Wichita State 0, Drake 4 Complete Recap
Last Season's MVC Tournament Finale
Last season, the Shockers played against Drake twice—once during the regular season and once during the MVC Tournament with both matches taking place at the Sheldon Coleman Tennis Complex in Wichita.
The Shockers lost their regular season match against Drake 4-2, but won the MVC Tournament Championship against Drake by a dramatic 4-3 score. Ostojic and his singles opponent Goodman's match decided the championship.
Ostojic was up 5-2 in the third set but Goodman rallied and tied the set at five all. Last season's MVC Tournament Championship was then decided after Ostojic took the last two games to win the third set 7-5 to deliver the Shockers the title.
The Shockers take on the Bulldogs for the MVC Team Championship at the Gregory Street Tennis Courts on Sunday at 10 a.m. Live stats will be available, and the results will be posted after the match has completed.
-WICHITA STATE-
Wichita State 4, Southern Illinois 0
Singles competition
1. Tin Ostojic (WSUM) vs. Jonny Rigby (SIU) 6-2, 4-3, unfinished
2. Tomislav Gregurovic (WSUM) def. Jorge Cavero (SIU) 6-2, 6-2
3. Guillermo Nicol (WSUM) def. Michal Kianicka (SIU) 6-2, 6-4
4. Guillermo de Vilchez (WSUM) vs. Szymon Opieczonek (SIU) 7-6, 2-1, unfinished
5. Jocelyn Devilliers (WSUM) def. Rafael Cuadrillero (SIU) 6-2, 6-2
6. Ibian Hodgson (WSUM) vs. Jeremy Dixon (SIU) 6-0, 4-6, 2-0, unfinished
Doubles competition
1. Tomislav Gregurovic/Tin Ostojic (WSUM) vs. Jonny Rigby/Michal Kianicka (SIU) 6-4, unfinished
2. Guillermo Nicol/Guillermo de Vilchez (WSUM) def. Jorge Cavero/Szymon Opieczonek (SIU) 8-3
3. Ibian Hodgson/Jocelyn Devilliers (WSUM) def. Rafael Cuadrillero/Jeremy Dixon (SIU) 8-1
Match Notes:
Southern Illinois 11-10 (2-2 MVC)
Wichita State 18-8 (3-1 MVC)
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2); Singles (5,2,3)
Missouri Valley Conference Team Tennis Championship
