Quakers Come Back To Clip Dragons, 5-2

Saturday, January 26

Levy Pavillion

1:00 p.m.

Drexel University

Penn

Koebele won his doubles match with partner Carlo Pangilinan

1/26/2008 5:00:02 PM | Men's Tennis

Philadelphia - Drexel took an early lead after winning two out of three doubles matches, but Penn came storming back in singles play, earning five of the six points to close out a 5-2 in the latest installment of the University City rivalry. Freshman Nick Bacchus was Drexel's lone victor in singles play and he also won his doubles match with partner Sabyasachi Bose.

The Dragons opened the match with a loss at first doubles as the pairing of Omar Laalej and Jason Savage-Pollock fel to Jo Lok and Eric Riley, 8-5. Drexel won both second and third doubles, however, to claim a team point for pairs play. Joe Koebele and Carlo Pangilinan topped Justen Fox and Jeff Karsh 9-7 and Bacchus and Bose sewed up their match with an 8-5 win.

Bacchus ground out an exciting win over Alex Vasin at fourth singles. The rookie took the first set 6-4 but fell behind 0-3 and 2-5 in the second set. He earned service breaks to recover from the deficit and square the match at 6-6. Bacchus opened the tie breaker by winning the first two points, but he promptly gave them back to even it at 2-2 before settlng down and pulling out to a 6-4 advantage. Vasin frustratedly hit Bacchus' double-match-point offering into the net on his return to give Drexel its only win in singles play.

Laalej dropped a tough three-set match at first singles after winning the first set 6-3. He dropped the next one 3-6 and fell in the final set 9-11.

Drexel is back in action on Feb. 8 when the Dragons take on Saint Joseph's at Swarthmore College.

Penn 5. Drexel 2

Singles

Jonathan Boym def. Omar Laalej (DU) 3-6, 6-3, 11-9

Justen Fox def. Joe Koebele (DU) 6-2, 6-1

Jo Lok def. Carlo Pangilinan (DU) 6-1, 6-1

Nick Bacchus (DU) def. Alex Vasin 6-4, 7-6 (7-4)

Eric Riley def. Jason Savage-Pollock 6-2, 6-0

Justen Roth def. Gaurav Parikh (DU) 6-0, 6-1

Doubles

Lox/Riley def. Laalej/Savage-Pollock (DU) 8-5