WICHITA, Kan. – The Wichita State men's tennis team ran away with a 4-2 win over No. 43 Drake Friday, at Genesis Health Club.
The Shockers (6-6) knocked off the Bulldogs for the first time since 2015-16, and the first under third year head coach
Danny Bryan. The win marks the second win in a row over a ranked opponent.
DOUBLES
The Shockers got things started early and often in doubles play, where
Andrea Caligiana and
Marius Frosa teamed up for the second time this season to knock off Bayo Philips and Finley Hall in the second slot. It was a battle on courts one and three, before
Murkel Dellien and
Eddie Stoica rolled in the tiebreaker (7-2) to take the 7-6 win on court one, and the point.
Stefan Latinovic and
Haru Inoue rallied to take a 6-5 lead on court three before play was suspended.
SINGLES
Latinovic, a native of Belgrade, Serbia, continued his stellar play as of later, rolling in straight sets over Calum MacGeoch in the fifth flight. The 6-foot-6 freshman has won his last two matches in the fifth flight, including today's 6-1, 7-6 (3) win to give WSU a 2-0 early lead.
In the top flight, Dellien took on his sixth ranked opponent of the season, No. 72 Gillespie. After dropping a tight first set, the junior from Trinidad, Bolivia won the second (6-4) to force a third. Dellien hung around early, but Gillespie finished out the match with a 6-2 win to put the Bulldogs on the board.
Freshman
Orel Ovil competed for the Shockers in the sixth flight, where he took on Ben Clark. Ovil reeled off his third-straight win in the sixth flight (4-6, 6-1, 6-4) to give the Shockers a 3-1 lead. Drake got one back in the fourth flight, where Philips dropped Stoica in a three-set battle until the finish.
It came down to Inoue on court two, as he went head-to-head with No. 64-ranked Hands. One of five three-set matches, Inoue – who is 6-3 in dual play this season - grabbed an early break in the third set and cruised to a 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 win to give WSU the 4-2 win over the No. 43-ranked Bulldogs.
Frosa and Thorold went unfinished in the third set, with Frosa holdind a 3-2 advantage. (6-4, 6-7(5)).
The Shockers look to build on this win as the travel to Albuquerque, N.M. next Saturday for a road test against New Mexico.
#44 WSU 4, #43 Drake 2
Doubles Results
1.
Murkel Dellien/
Eddie Stoica (WSU) def. Vinny Gillespie/Barny Thorold (DRAKE), 7-6 (2)
2.
Marius Frosa/
Andrea Caligiana (WSU) def. Bayo Philips/Finley Hall (DRAKE), 6-3
3.
Stefan Latinovic/
Haru Inoue (WSU) vs. Calum MacGeoch/Tom Hands (Drake), 6-5, uf.
Singles Results
1. #72 Vinny Gillespie (Drake) def.
Murkel Dellien (WSU), 6-4, 4-6, 6-2
2.
Haru Inoue (WSU) def. #64 Tom Hands (Drake), 6-4, 4-6, 6-3
3.
Marius Frosa (WSU) vs. Barny Thorold (Drake), 6-4, 6-7 (5), 3-2, uf.
4. Bayo Philips (Drake) def.
Eddie Stoica (WSU), 6-4, 4-6, 7-5
5.
Stefan Latinovic (WSU) def. Calum MacGeoch (Drake), 6-1, 7-6 (3)
6.
Orel Ovil (WSU) def. Ben Clark (Drake), 4-6, 6-1, 6-4
Order of Finish: Doubles (2,1); Singles (5, 1, 6, 4, 2)
