Feb. 20, 2011

DES MOINES, Iowa- The UIC men's tennis teams took an early point, by taking two out of three doubles matches, but dropped the match to host Drake University Sunday morning, 6-1.

"Doubles lineup one, two, and three played our best doubles matches of the spring season," said head coach Hans Neufeld. "We competed well at all the singles positions, but lost a hard fought battle to Drake".

The Flames took an early lead in the match, by clinching the doubles point at the No. 2 and 3 doubles positions respectively. Senior Luiz Gonzaga and freshman Alan Reifer defeated BU's Ryan Drake and Anis Ghorbel, 9-7. Juniors Scott Shepardson and Nate Kirk squeezed out the same result as teammate's Gonzaga and Reifer, 9-7, over BU's Jean Erasmus and Jonathan Hadash.

Drake rebounded back nicely in singles play, defeating UIC in all six positions to take the match from the Flames. Freshman Alexander Raa battled with nationally ranked player No. 122 Mauricio Ballivian of Drake in three sets in the top flight, but bailing out, 7-5, 4-6, 6-4. Kirk looked like he was going to win his third straight singles match of the season in the No. 3 position, but falling to Drake's James McKie, 6-7 (3), 6-4, 6-3.

UIC will be back in action on Wednesday, Feb. 23, when they travel to take on No. 40 Wisconsin in the Nielsen Tennis Stadium at Madison, Wisc., starting at 3:30 p.m. CST.

DRAKE 6, UIC 1
SINGLES:
1. #122 Mauricio Ballivian (DU) def. Alexander Raa (UIC), 7-5, 4-6, 6-4
2. James McKie (DU) def. James Li (UIC), 7-6 (4), 6-4
3. Jean Erasmus (DU) def. Nate Kirk (UIC), 6-7 (3), 6-4, 6-3
4. Anis Ghorbel (DU) def. Luiz Gonzaga (UIC), 6-3, 6-2
5. Robin Goodman (DU) def. Dave Robare (UIC), 6-4, 6-3
6. Jonathan Hadash (DU) def. Alan Reifer (UIC), 6-4, 6-1

DOUBLES:
1. Ballivian/Goodman (DU) def. Raa/Robare (UIC), 8-4
2. Shepardson/Kirk (UIC) def. Erasmus/Hadash (DU), 9-7
3. Gonzaga/Reifer (UIC) def. Ryan Drake/Ghorbel (DU), 9-7

ORDER OF FINISH
Singles: 4, 6, 5, 2, 1, 3
Doubles: 1, 3, 2