The Bulldogs posted their first win in 2019, sweeping Bellarmine 7-0 Friday evening. This moves the Bulldogs to 1-1 after falling to Louisville 4-0, Friday afternoon.

Butler swept doubles play against Bellarmine with Mason Dragos and Aviv Ben Shabat (6-3), Adrian Mag and Michael Dickson (6-1), and Thomas Brennan and Spencer Lang (6-0), taking down their Bellarmine counterpart.

Senior Captain Mason Dragos notched his first singles win of 2019, taking down Bellarmine's Caleb Buckman 6-0, 6-3. Brennan also notched his first singles win as a Bulldog in the No. 2 spot, sweeping Evan Bottorf 6-0, 6-0.

In the No. 3 spot, Ryan Roegner topped Sam Rueff 6-2, 6-2. No. 4 Mag (6-0, 6-0), No. 5 Sam Sullivan (6-3, 6-3), and No. 6 Ari Gerstein (6-1, 6-1) also tallied singles wins in the sweep of Bellarmine.

Earlier in the day, the Bulldogs dropped their first match of the season at the hands of the Louisville Cardinals, who won in straight matches, 4-0.

Ben Shabat and Dragos opened the match-up with a 6-3 defeat in the No. 1 doubles spot. Louisville also took the No. 2 spot against Dickson and Mag by a score of 6-2 to take the victory in the doubles portion of the match. The third pair (Roegner and Sullivan) were behind 4-3 when doubles concluded.

In singles play, Butler fell to the Cardinals in the No. 3, 5, and 6 spots which clinched the match in the Cardinals' favor.

Dragos battled Louisville's Brandon Lancaster at the No. 1 singles court, but the match was stopped with Dragos behind 5-4 in the second set after Louisville secured the 4-0 victory.

The matches on courts 2 (Michael Dickson) and 4 (Thomas Brennan) did not finish.  

Butler returns to action Saturday, Jan 26 when the Bulldogs travel to Iowa City, Iowa to take on East Tennessee State and Iowa in a dual match. The Bulldogs return to Indianapolis for their home opener vs. Youngstown State Feb. 1.
 
Butler Bulldogs 7, Bellarmine Knights 0

Singles

1. Mason Dragos def. Caleb Buckman (Bellarmine) 6-0, 6-3
2. Thomas Brennan def. Evan Bottorff (Bellarmine) 6-0, 6-0
3. Ryan Roegner def. Sam Rueff (Bellarmine) 6-2, 6-2
4. Adrian Mag def. Michael Staff (Bellarmine) 6-0, 6-0
5. Sam Sullivan def. Nick Johnson (Bellarmine) 6-3, 6-3
6. Ari Gerstein def. Joe Naville  (Bellarmine) 6-1, 6-1

Doubles

1. Aviv Ben Shabat/Mason Dragos def. Buckman/Rueff (Bellarmine) 6-3
2. Michael Dickson/Adrian Mag def. Bottorff/Johnson (Bellarmine) 6-1
3. Thomas Brennan/Spencer Lang def. Staff/Neuhauser (Bellarmine) 6-0

Louisville Cardinals 4, Butler Bulldogs 0
 
Singles

7. Brandon Lancaster (LOU) vs. Mason Dragos 6-3, 5-4, unfinished*
8. Christopher Morin-Kougoucheff (LOU) vs. Michael Dickson 7-5, 4-3, unfinished*
9. Fabien Salle (LOU) def. Aviv Ben Shabat 6-3, 6-4
10. Federico Gomez (LOU) vs. Thomas Brennan 7-6, 4-1, unfinished*
11. Sergio Ramirez (LOU) def. Ryan Roegner 6-3, 6-3
12. David Mizrahi (LOU) def. Spencer Lang 7-6 (7-3), 6-0

Doubles

4. Christopher Morin-Kougoucheff/Fabien Salle (LOU) def. Aviv Ben Shabat/Mason Dragos 6-3
5. Brandon Lancaster/Alex Wesbrooks (LOU) def. Michael Dickson/Adrian Mag 6-2
6. Federico Gomez/Sergio Ramirez (LOU) vs. Thomas Brennan/Spencer Lang 4-3, unfinished*

Order of finish: Doubles (2,1); Singles (5,3,6)