WICHITA, Kan. – The Wichita State men's tennis team fell to Drake 4-3 in a close contest Saturday at Genesis Health Club. Drake won the Missouri Valley Conference regular season title outright with the victory, and will be the top seed in the conference tournament.

The Bulldogs (15-11, 3-0 MVC) struck first, scoring the doubles point. Bayo Philips/Barny Thorold taking the top-flight match against Jocelyn Devilliers/Eddie Stoica by a score of 6-3. In the third flight, Ben Stride/Ben Wood defeated Murkel Dellien/Marius Frosa, 6-4, to seal the doubles point. Dellien and Frosa remain one win away from double-digits, dropping to 9-4 in doubles play. Vinny Gillespie/Tom Hands were leading 5-4 over Haru Inoue/Miroslav Herzan, but went unfinished. 

The Shockers (12-12, 1-2 MVC) responded with two quick wins in singles play. Devilliers topped Calum MacGeoch 6-4, 6-1 in the fourth flight. Seconds later, Dellien defeated Thorold 6-0, 6-1 in the sixth flight, giving WSU the 2-1 advantage in the dual. Dellien is now 14-6 on the season, and has won three-straight. Tom Hands then got the first singles win for Drake, defeating Stoica 6-4, 6-3 in the fifth flight. In the top flight, No. 84 Gillespie won the battle of ranked players, getting a 7-5, 6-3 victory over No. 92 Inoue. The loss drops Inoue to 10-5 when competing in the first flight. Frosa forced the dual to come down to the final contest after defeating 7-6 (9-7), 6-1 in the second flight. Frosa is now 15-6 on the season, and is 7-2 over his last nine matches. In the lone three-set contest on the day, Philips defeated Herzan 6-3, 3-6, 6-2 to win the match for the Bulldogs.

Up Next:
Wichita State hosts an Easter doubleheader tomorrow to close out the regular season, first playing UTSA at 11 a.m. and then McPherson College at 2:30 p.m. Both matches are set to be played at the Coleman Complex, but in the event of inclement weather, those matches will be moved to Genesis.

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Drake 4, Wichita State 3

Singles competition
1. #84 Vinny Gillespie (DU) def. #92 Haru Inoue (WSU) 7-5, 6-3
2. Marius Frosa (WSU) def. Ben Stride (DU) 7-6 (8-6), 6-1
3. Bayo Philips (DU) def. Miroslav Herzan (WSU) 6-3, 3-6, 6-2
4. Jocelyn Devilliers (WSU) def. Calum MacGeoch (DU) 6-4, 6-1
5. Tom Hands (DU) def. Eddie Stoica (WSU) 6-4, 6-3
6. Murkel Dellien (WSU) def. Barny Thorold (DU) 6-0, 6-1

Doubles competition
1. Bayo Philips/Barny Thorold (DU) def. Jocelyn Devilliers/Eddie Stoica (WSU) 6-3
2. Haru Inoue/Miroslav Herzan (WSU) vs. Vinny Gillespie/Tom Hands (DU) 4-5, unfinished
3. Ben Stride/Ben Wood (DU) def. Murkel Dellien/Marius Frosa (WSU) 6-4

Match Notes:
Order of finish: Doubles (1,3); Singles (4,6,5,1,2,3)