SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- Drury is headed to the Round of 16 for the 15th time in the past 16 years after defeating Southern Indiana 5-2 on Sunday in the Midwest Region No. 1 finals at the Cooper Tennis Complex.
The Panthers (23-2) will advance to the Round of 16 in Altamonte Springs, Fla., May 14-17. Drury will play the South Region 2 winner, which gets underway on Monday and includes Barry, Stillman, Rollins and Lynn.
Coach Jarrod Smith's Panthers built a 2-1 lead after doubles, falling at No. 1 with Andy Blair/Jorge Nadal (8-6), but getting wins at No. 2 from Lukas Kriem/Maximilian Hepp and No. 3 by Christian Ellemann Ibsen/Sergio Manzanas, both by 8-1 scores.
Ibsen made quick work at No. 5 singles with a 6-0, 6-2 win against USI's Josh Walden and DU's Jorge Nadal defeated Dmitri Stocker 6-3, 6-0 to get the point total to four for the Panthers. After Blair fell 6-2, 6-4 at No. 1 singles, Hepp defeated Santiago Lopez 7-5, 5-3 at No. 2 singles for the clincher.
Southern Indiana finished 19-8.
