Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Southern Illinois University
Drake/MVC Tourn.
Men's tennis falls to Drake 4-0
04/28/2006 | 12:00:00 | Men's Tennis
April 28, 2006
By Lacole Hook
www.siusalukis.com
DES MOINES, Iowa - The Southern Illinois men's tennis team fell behind early against Drake and were unable to recover as the Bulldogs won the quarterfinal match of the State Farm/Missouri Valley Conference Tournament 4-0.
The second seeded Bulldogs won two of the three doubles matches to take the point. In the number one match, Bojan Ilievski and Andrei Bubnov lost to Maor Zirkin and Dalibor Pavic 8-1. The second match went to the Salukis as Felipe Villasenor and Sergio Sanchez paired to defeat Drake 8-6. In the final doubles match Rodrigo Lama and Tomas Gonzalez had their opportunities to take the win, but failed to take advantage losing 9-7.
"We actually did play well today," Saluki men's tennis coach Dann Nelson said. "When we lost the doubles point it took some of our momentum away."
The top of Drake's lineup was too tough for SIU and the Bulldogs took the win with matches at Nos. 1, 2 and 3.
In the number one match Zirkin defeated Lama 6-0, 6-0. At the two spot Pavic won over Villasenor 6-2, 6-1, while Sanchez lost 6-1, 6-2 in the third match.
"We knew the top of their singles line-up was going to be extremely tough," Nelson said. "We thought we might be able to take the bottom three matches, but didn't get the opportunity since we lost in doubles."
The Salukis finished the season with an overall record of 11-10.
(#2)Drake 4, (#7)Southern Illinois 0
Singles competition
1. Maor Zirkin (DU) def. Rodrigo Lama (SIU) 6-0, 6-0
2. Dalibor Pavic (DU) def. Felipe Villasenor (SIU) 6-2, 6-1
3. Sergi Vila (DU) def. Sergio Sanchez (SIU) 6-1, 6-2
4. Jonathan Tishler (DU) vs. Andrei Bubnov (SIU) unfinished
5. Chris Lueth (DU) vs. Tomas Gonzalez (SIU) unfinished
6. Ivan Mendoza (DU) vs. Bojan Ilievski (SIU) unfinished
Doubles competition
1. Maor Zirkin/Dalibor Pavic (DU) def. Bojan Ilievski/Andrei Bubnov (SIU) 8-1
2. Felipe Villasenor/Sergio Sanchez (SIU) def. Chris Lueth/Jonathan Tishler (DU) 8-6
3. Sergi Vila/Ivan Mendoza (DU) def. Rodrigo Lama/Tomas Gonzalez (SIU) 9-7
