ARLINGTON, Texas -- In a match that was delayed nearly three hours because of rain, 45th-ranked Drake posted a 4-1 victory over Sacramento State in a neutral-site, non-conference men’s tennis match Tuesday afternoon at the UTA Tennis Center.
Singles play was contested first with the initial team to reach four points declared the winner. Doubles play was not contested due to time constraints.
Drake improved to 14-2 with the victory while the young Hornets fell to 3-10. Sacramento State, which has played four freshmen in its singles lineup in every match this season, has dropped five straight since its last win over Northern Colorado on March 9. Of the Hornets’ 10 losses this year, five have now come against nationally ranked teams (the ITA ranks the top 75 teams in the nation).
Hornet freshman Marek Marksoo continued his impressive season as he scored the Hornets’ lone point with a 6-1, 6-2 crushing of Robin Goodman at No. 4. Marksoo is now a team-best 8-3 in singles play, and 2-1 since moving up from No. 5 to No. 4 in the team’s singles lineup.
Freshman Sean Kolar kept his match close at No. 3 before falling by a 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 score to Jean Erasmus. Freshman Roy Brandys was winning his match at No. 5 (7-6, 5-6) before his match was stopped because Drake already had the necessary four points for victory.
The Hornets will wrap up a stretch that will seen the team play four matches in five days tomorrow when it travels to Flagstaff for a matchup with Big Sky Conference foe Northern Arizona. Sacramento State is 2-0 in Big Sky matches thus far, and won both those matchups in comfortable fashion.
Mar 20, 2012 at Arlington, Texas
(UTA Tennis Center)
#45 Drake 4, Sacramento State 1
Singles competition
1. Anis Ghorbel (DRAKE) def. MALKO, Aliaksandr (SAC) 6-3, 6-1
2. James McKie (DRAKE) def. MILLAN, Javier (SAC) 7-6 (7-4), 6-1
3. Jean Erasmus (DRAKE) def. KOLAR, Sean (SAC) 3-6, 6-1, 6-4
4. MARKSOO, Marek (SAC) def. Robin Goodman (DRAKE) 6-1, 6-2
5. Alen Salibasic (DRAKE) vs. BRANDYS, Roy (SAC) 6-7 (7-9), 6-5, unfinished
6. Ben Mullis (DRAKE) def. HULTKRANTZ, Jonathan (SAC) 6-1, 6-0
Match Notes:
Sacramento State 3-10
Drake 14-2; National ranking #45
Order of finish: Doubles (); Singles (6,4,1,2,3)
