Men's Tennis Rallies to Knock off Drake, 4-3, Friday in Des Moines

Friday, February 21

Des Moines, Iowa

6 p.m. CT

Michigan State University

Drake

Photo by: Rey Del Rio/MSU Athletic Communications

Men's Tennis Rallies to Knock off Drake, 4-3, Friday in Des Moines

2/21/2020 10:28:00 PM | Men's Tennis

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

DES MOINES, Iowa - Michigan State's men's tennis team used a late rally to knock off Drake, 4-3, Friday inside DU's Roger Knapp Tennis Center.

The Spartans trailed 3-0 to the Bulldogs after dropping the doubles point and falling on singles courts two and five before reeling off four-straight wins, highlighted by junior John Carlin's clincher on court one to secure the victory. With the win, the Spartans improve to 5-4, while Drake falls to 2-11.

"It was a great win for the Spartans tonight," said MSU men's tennis head coach Gene Orlando. "Being down 3-0 and finding a way to win the last four matches and the last three in three sets was Spartan tough."

Doubles

Drake got on the board first after a pair of wins on courts one and two in doubles. Bulldog duo Finley Hall and Evan Fragistas, who came into the match 3-1 in doubles, took control early over freshman Kazuki Matsuno and junior Josh Mukherjee on their way to a 6-3 win on court three. Reid Jarvis and Matija Matic won their third-straight on court two, taking down Carlin and sophomore Anthony Pero (6-3). Barny Thorold and Oliver Johansson won a 6-4 decision over freshman duo Jarreau Campbell and Drew Keene after the point was clinched.

Singles

Michigan State fought off a 3-0 deficit with four wins in a row in singles action. The Bulldogs jumped out to a 2-0 lead after a 6-2, 6-2 win fromThorold over Pero on the No. 2 singles court. Jarvis extended DU's lead with a straight set (6-1. 6-2) victory over Matsuno on court five.

Sophomore Carson Gates started the late run by the Spartans with a straight set win on court three over Fragistas. Gates, who is tied for the team lead with four singles wins, controlled the first set early and rode out a 6-4 win and followed with a 6-3 win in the second set to put Michigan State on the board. Mukherjee took on Hall in the fourth flight and continued to show fight for the Spartans. Mukherjee and Hall split the first two sets (6-4. 1-6) to force a third, where the junior cruised to a 6-3 win to cut the Drake lead to one at 3-2.

Campbell took the court against Matic in the sixth position for the Spartans. After securing a 6-4 first set win, the Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, native dropped the second set (7-6(8)) before rolling in the third set, 6-3, and tying the match at three-all with the No. 1 singles court left.

Carlin got the nod on court one where he took on Johansson, who came into the dual 5-3 in singles. Carlin never backed down from the left-handed Johansson, and took control early with a 6-2 first set win. Johansson followed with a 6-4 win of his own in the second set to force a winner-take-all third set. The players traded games in the third set in what was a back and forth battle. Carlin gained an early lead and never looked back, edging Johansson, 7-3 in the tiebreaker in front of 122 fans in a match that lasted just over three hours.

Up Next

The Spartans return to action on Sunday, Feb. 23 against New Mexico. Action begins at 12 p.m. ET inside the Knapp Tennis Center in Des Moines.

Michigan State 4, Drake 3

Doubles Update

1. Barny Thorold/Oliver Johansson (DU) def. Jarreau Campbell/Drew Keene (MSU), 6-4

2. Reid Jarvis/Matija Matic (DU) def. Anthony Pero/John Carlin (MSU), 6-3

3. Finley Hall/Evan Fragistas (DU) def. Kazuki Matsuno/Josh Mukherjee (MSU), 6-3

Singles Update

1. John Carlin (MSU) def. Oliver Johansson (DU) 6-2, 4-6, 7-6 (7-3)

2. Barny Thorold (DU) def. Anthony Pero (MSU) 6-2, 6-2

3. Carson Gates (MSU) def. Evan Fragistas (DU) 6-4, 6-3

4. Josh Mukherjee (MSU) def. Finley Hall (DU) 6-4, 1-6, 6-3