The Bulldogs traveled to Omaha, NE to compete against both Creighton University and the University of Nebraska-Omaha.
Drake first took on Creighton on Saturday, March 26 at 4:30 p.m. The Bulldogs won the doubles point after wins from doubles two and three.
First-year Mille Haagensen and sophomore Darinka Stepan won their set 6-0, at the doubles three spot. Sophomore Ines Stephani and junior Rebecca Ehn played at doubles two and won their set 6-2.
Drake had a 1-0 lead over the Bluejays heading into the singles matches. Senior Kelsey Neville was the first Bulldog to get a win for Drake. Neville got off to a quick start in the match, capturing the first set 6-2. Neville was leading 3-1 in the second set but was unable to finish her match as her opponent withdrew from the match due to an injury.
Even though Neville was unable to finish her match, she still got a singles point for Drake. Stepan was the next Bulldog to get a singles point. Stepan won her match 6-3, 6-3, getting Drake a 3-0 lead.
Stephani got off to a quick start in her match at singles two, winning her first set 6-2. Stephani had a close second set, but was able to fight through it and win the second set 7-5. Stephani got the last point for Drake allowing them to win 4-3 over Creighton.
The Bulldogs took to the courts again on Match 27 against Omaha.
After getting a win from doubles one and three Drake took the doubles point. At doubles three, Haagensen and Stepan won their set 6-1. Doubles one for the Bulldogs was Neville and senior Daria Walczak.
Neville and Walczak got off to a quick start in their match leading 5-2 and then closed it off with a 6-2 win for Drake. The Bulldogs were able to get another doubles point from this win.
Walczak explains her thoughts on how the doubles matches went.
“Our team came out with great energy and got off to a quick start,” Walczak said. “We were able to get a comfortable lead early in our set and then we quickly closed it out.”
At the singles one position, Stephani won her match with scores of 6-1 and 6-4. At singles two, Walczak lost the first set with a close 3-6. She then fought back to win the second set 7-5. Walczak also took the third set tie-breaker 10-4.
At three singles, Haagensen had a quick start to the match, getting a 6-2 win in the first set. The second set was a battle, but Haagensen was able to stay in control and get the set 7-6.
At singles four, Stepan won her match 7-6(5), 6-2. At singles five, Neville got another win for Drake after winning her match 6-4, 6-2. At singles six, Ehn crushed through her match winning it 6-2, 6-0.
The Bulldogs swept Omaha, winning the match 7-0.
“I think we had a strong weekend away,” Neville said. “I’m proud that the team was able to pick up two wins.”
