WICHITA, Kan. – The Drake men's tennis team advanced to its fourth consecutive Missouri Valley Conference Championship title match after dispatching Illinois State, 4-0, on Saturday (April 27).

The victory enabled the Bulldogs to equal the school record for wins (24) set during the 2008 and 2012 campaigns, respectively.

Drake struck first in the match with triumphs at the Nos. 1 and 3 doubles positions to stake claim to the doubles point. 

Securing the tally on the strength of an 8-5 decision past Erik Brunskog and Rodrigo OIiveira at the No. 3 slot was senior Anis Ghorbel (Sfax, Tunisia) and junior Robin Goodman (Cambridge, England).

Goodman tacked on his team-leading 36th singles victory of the season, 6-2, 6-4, over Jakub Eisner to extend Drake's lead to 2-0.

Senior Jean Erasmus (Windhoek, Namibia) pushed the margin to 3-0 after registering a 6-4, 6-4 triumph against Rolando Torrellas on the No. 5 court.

Garnering the match-clinching tally at the No. 4 position was sophomore Alen Salibasic (Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina), who bettered Jacob Wilson, 6-2, 6-3.

The Bulldogs will battle for their seventh NCAA Tournament berth in school history when Drake plays Wichita State on Sunday (April 28) at 2:00 p.m.

NO. 27 DRAKE (24-2) VS. ILLINOIS STATE (10-15), 4-0

APRIL 27, 2013 • WICHITA, KAN.

SINGLES:

No. 1 No. 63 Anis Ghorbel (DU) vs. Alexander Pelaez (ILST), 6-3, 2-5 unfinished

No. 2 James McKie (DU) vs. Erik Brunskog (ILST), 4-6, 3-4 unfinished

No. 3 No. 120 Robin Goodman (DU) vs. Jakub Eisner (ILST), 6-2, 6-4

No. 4 Alen Salibasic (DU) vs. Jacob Wilson (ILST), 6-2, 6-3

No. 5 Jean Erasmus (DU) vs. Rolando Torrellas (ILST), 6-4, 6-4

No. 6 Ben Mullis (DU) vs. Rodrigo Oliveira (ILST), 4-6, 4-1 unfinished

Order of finish: 3,5,4

DOUBLES:

No. 1 Erasmus/Salibasic (DU) def. Muddappa Appanervanda/Pelaez (ILST), 8-5

No. 2 Ben Lott/McKie (DU) leading Eisner/Torrellas (ILST), 7-6 unfinished

No. 3 Ghorbel/Goodman (DU) def. Brunskog/Oliveira (ILST), 8-5

Order of finish: 1,3