DES MOINES, Iowa- The Western Illinois men's tennis team dropped its season opener to the defending Missouri Valley Conference champions, and the 52nd-ranked team in the nation, Drake by a score of 6-1.

"I'm fairly pleased with our play today," said Western Illinois head coach Michael Hunt. "This was a tough first match. Drake has been to the last two NCAA tournaments and we hung in there with them in multiple matches."

Senior Martin Boström (Stockholm, Sweden/Varmdo Gymnasium) recorded the lone victory for the Leathernecks, defeating Mauricio Ballivian 7-6 (7-5), 6-3, at the No. 2 singles position.

Western was very close to taking the doubles point away from the Bulldogs as the two matches that Western dropped were near victories. Boström and freshman Francisco Ortiz (Porto Alegre, Brazil) defeated Guilherme Marsiglia and Bokang Setshogo in a tiebreaker (7-4) at No. 2 doubles. The junior duo of Sean Ragee-Nelson (Decatur, Ill./MacArthur) and Andy Jones (Huntsville, Texas/Huntsville) dropped the No. 3 doubles match, 8-5. At No. 1 doubles, juniors Zach Frisch (Kansas City, Mo./Rockhurst/Johnson County CC) and Neil Lesinski (Grayslake, Ill./Grayslake) lost 8-4.

"We played well in the doubles and I was happy to see Martin already in midseason form," stated Hunt. "Zach hung in there and played tough with the 16th-ranked player in the nation."

The Leathernecks return to action Saturday, February 9, as they travel to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, to face Coe College.

Singles Competition
1. #16 Pavic, Dalibor (DU) def. Frisch, Zach (WIU) 6-2, 6-4
2. Bostrom, Martin (WIU) def. Ballivian, Mauricio (DU) 7-6 (7-5), 6-3
3. Lau, Ricardo (DU) def. Lesinski, Neil (WIU) 6-2, 6-2
4. Setshogo, Bokang (DU) def. Ortiz, Francisco (WIU) 6-0, 6-2
5. Mendoza, Ivan (DU) def. Ragee-Nelson, Sean (WIU) 6-2, 6-3
6. Dil, Halvar (DU) def. Jones, Andy (WIU) 6-0, 6-1

Doubles Competition
1. Pavic, Dalibor/Zirkin, Maor (DU) def. Frisch, Zach/Lesinski, Neil (WIU) 8-4
2. Bostrom, Martin/Ortiz, Francisco (WIU) def. Marsiglia, Guilherme/Setshogo, Bokang (DU) 9-8 (7-4)
3. Mendoza, Ivan/Ballivian, Mauricio (DU) def. Ragee-Nelson, Sean/Jones, Andy (WIU) 8-5