March 24, 2002

Drury Beats Southwest Baptist in Men's Tennis Springfield, Missouri.......For Release: Upon Receipt (Courtesy of Drury Office of Sports Information)

Drury Tennis Courts/Cooper Tennis Complex --- In a match that started outside, but was moved indoors because of the rain, the Drury Panthers defeated rival Southwest Baptist University today, 7-2. The Panthers went up 3-0 by winning the three doubles matches and the singles competition began soon thereafter. However, the rains came and the match was taken indoors. With the availability of courts restricted the match did not conclude until nearly 7:30 pm., six and one-half hours after play started. The Panthers won at #3,#4, #5 and #6 singles, but Southwest Baptist's won at #1 and #2 singles with both matches being marathon affairs with outstanding play coming from all four players.

The Panthers, ranked #5 in the NCAA-II national rankings, are now 10-2 on the year. They play next this coming Friday and Saturday, March 29 and 30, when they host the University of Central Oklahoma and Oklahoma Christian University. The Panthers play Central Oklahoma Friday at 3 pm. and Oklahoma Christian Saturday morning at 9 am. Both matches are scheduled to be played on the Drury campus.

Drury University-7, Southwest Baptist University-2
Doubles
1. Mehdi Belbacha/Jeremy Blandin (Drury) defeated Mark Eori/Johan Nortje (SBU) 8-3
2. Tony Kiruki/Younes Limam (Drury) defeated Andras Bori/Adam Ehrlich (SBU) 8-6
3. Hicham Fathi/Akos Tajta (Drury) defeated T.J. Martin/John Paden (SBU) 8-1

Singles
1. Mehdi Belbacha (Drury) lost to Andra Bori (Southwest Baptist) 7-6(5), 6-7(4), 7-5
2. Hicham Fathi (Drury) lost to Mark Eori (Southwest Baptist) 7-6(5), 6-4
3. Jeremy Blandin (Drury) defeated Johan Nortje (Southwest Baptist) 6-1, 6-3
4. Tony Kiruki (Drury) defeated Adam Ehrlich (Southwest Baptist) 6-4, 6-2
5. Javier Llanes (Drury) defeated T.J. Martin (Southwest Baptist) 8-6
6. Akos Tajta (Drury) defeated John Paden (Southwest Baptist) 8-3

For more information contact Dan Cashel at (417) 873-7222 or Eric Pannell at (417) 873-7374 in the Drury Office of Sports Information.