NORMAL, Ill. – Winners of three-straight matches, Illinois State (7-10) returns home on Wednesday to open Summit League action against Drake (14-3). First serve is set for 12:30 p.m. CT at the Gregory Street Courts (weather permitting) or the Evergreen Racquet Club in Bloomington.
SCOUTING THE REDBIRDS
• The Redbirds (7-10) extended their winning streak to three in a row, follwing a hard-fought 4-3 road win on Saturday afternoon against Butler.
• ISU took the early advantage, securing the doubles point with wins at the No. 1 and No. 2 spots. The top tandem of Tomas Valencia and Adrian Dibildox cruised to a 6-2 win over Butler's Nicolas Arts and Rahulniket Konakanchi for the first win of the match. The No. 2 duo of Tin Ostro and Caden Scarlett defeated Riccardo Baldi and Arnesh Singh in a tiebreaker by a score of 7-6 (4) to secure the doubles point.
• In singles play, Butler was able to secure wins on courts 1, 4, and 6, but the Redbirds were able to take victories on the other three courts to pick up the close win.
• Valencia has been leading the way all season for the Redbirds, with a 7-3 record this spring in singles action with wins in six of his last eight matches overall.
• Valencia and Adrian Dibildox have also been solid at the top of the doubles lineup for the Redbirds, with wins in their last five matches.
SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS
• Drake (14-3) has put together one of its strongest stretches of the season, winning 14 consecutive matches prior to its most recent outing.
• The Bulldogs have been fueled by consistent production throughout the singles lineup. Sam Melaga leads the team with a perfect 12–0 dual record this spring, making him Drake's only undefeated regular starter. Arin Menon has also been a key contributor with a 12–1 record, while Jose Hernandez has added nine wins and enters the match at 9–2.
• In the upper half of the lineup, Alan Gonzalez has posted eight singles victories, while Ben Johnson follows closely with seven wins of his own. Drake's depth has been a defining strength, with multiple players consistently contributing points across all six singles positions.
• In doubles play, the Bulldogs have continued to search for consistency, but the pairing of Adan Tarquino and Ulysse Verrando has emerged as Drake's most reliable tandem with a 5–3 record this season. The duo of Gonzalez and Johnson has also seen extensive action together, combining for nine matches at the top of the lineup.
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