GO GOPHERS! GO GOPHERS!
Svenda Takes Title at Drake Invitational

Go Gophers!
Go Gophers!

Go Gophers!

Eddie Svenda won the 'C' flight singles title to lead four Minnesota competitors at the Drake men's tennis invitational over the weekend in Des Moines, Iowa.

Brendan Ruddock added a runner-up finish in the 'B' flight, while Jonathan Hadash reached the semifinals in the 'A' flight. Michael Sicora was knocked out in the second round of the 'A' flight.

Svenda, a sophomore who won one of his five matches during his freshman year, dropped one set in his four victories over the weekend. He defeated James McAvoy of Creighton 6-0, 1-6, 6-0 in the title match after a 6-2, 6-2 semifinal win over Ryan Norman of Creighton. Svenda also had wins over Conor Buchanon of Northern Colorado 6-1, 6-2 and Connor Macey of Creighton 6-3, 6-2.

Ruddock won his first three collegiate matches in straight sets before falling in the championship match to James McKie of Drake 6-2, 2-6, 6-4. He advanced to the finals by beating Niko Karnop of Gustavus Adolphus 6-3, 6-2 in the first round and Sergey Dulin of Drake 6-1, 6-1 in the second round before a 6-3, 7-5 win over Ryan Drake of Drake in the semifinals.

Hadash and Sicora were both ousted by eventual 'A' flight runner-up Mauricio Ballivian of Drake. Hadash lost 2-6, 7-5, 6-1 in the semifinals, while Sicora fell 6-2, 6-2 in the second round. Hadash reached the third round with a pair of match tiebreaker victories. He edged Paulo Gonzalez of Southern Illinois-Edwardsville in the first round 4-6, 6-1, (10-6) and then rallied to bear Guilherme Marsiglia of Drake 4-6, 6-3, (10-8) in the second round. Sicora opened with a 6-0, 6-1 rout of Patrick Clark of Gustavus Adolphus.

Hadash and Ruddock reached the quarterfinals of the doubles draw, gaining a first round bye and beating Gonzalez and Jeremy Knipp of Southern Illinois-Edwardsville 8-4 in the second round. They lost to Clark and Niko Karnop of Gustavus Adolphus 8-6.

Ballivian eliminated Sicora in the doubles draw as well as the Drake player teamed with Cesar Brancho to beat Sicora and Svenda 8-5 in the second round. The Gopher teammates opened with an 8-1 win over Rob Edwards and Andre Lepine of Northern Colorado 8-1.

The Gophers will take part in the Pepperdine Invitational next weekend in Malibu, Calif.


 

 

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