Here is a look at last weekend's MAC men's tennis action.
Buffalo:
Bulls Pull Out 4-3 Victory at Cleveland State
CLEVELAND, OH – The University at Buffalo men’s tennis team picked up a 4-3 victory at Cleveland State on Saturday afternoon at the Chagrin Valley Athletic Club to snap a two-match losing streak.
The Bulls (3-2) picked up the win with three singles victories as sophomore Sebastian Ionescu scored the clincher in the number three contest. Ionescu needed three sets to down Ali Shabib, 6-1, 4-6, 6-3 and give the Bulls the match. Also earning singles wins were Damien David at number two and Pablo Alvarez at number four as both players won in straight sets.
UB clinched the opening doubles point with wins in the number one and three matches. David and Akhil Mehta downed Shabib and Niklas Johnson, 8-4, in the number one match. Sergio Arevalillo and Ashwin Sharma knocked off Matt Ford and Jorg van der Vloet, 8-6, in the number three match.
“We did a very good job of starting fast today in both doubles and singles, but didn't do a great job of finishing,” said head coach Lee Nickell. “We are certainly pleased with beating Cleveland State for the first time and they are a very well coached and feisty team. We are excited to get back on court on Monday and continue to work on improving.”
UB hosts Niagara on Friday, February 22 at the Miller Tennis Center in the home opener.
Buffalo 4, Cleveland State 3
Doubles
1. Damien David/Akhil Mehta (UB) d Ali Shabib/Niklas Johnson (CSU), 8-4 2. Joe Vanmeter/Nolan Marks (CSU) d. Vusa Hove/Sebastian Ionescu (UB), 8-6 3. Sergio Arevalillo/Ashwin Sharma (UB) d. Matt Ford/Jorg van der Vloet (CSU), 8-6 Singles 1. Jorg van der Vloet (CSU) d. Vusa Hove (UB), 1-6, 6-0, 7-5 2. Damien David (UB) d. Matt Kuelker (CSU), 6-4, 6-2 3. Sebastian Ionescu (UB) d. Ali Shabib (CSU), 6-1, 4-6, 6-3 4. Pablo Alvarez (UB) d, Joe Vanmeter (CSU), 6-4, 6-1 5. Nolan Marks (CSU) d. Ashwin Sharma (UB), 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 6. Matt Ford (CSU) d. Akhil Mehta (UB), 7-6, 6-4
Toledo:
Rockets Split Final Two Matches of Weekend Play
CHICAGO, IL - Toledo split its final two matches of the weekend to move its record to 11-6 on the season. The Rockets claimed an easy 6-1 win over Bradley, but dropped its final match of the weekend to DePaul on Saturday by a final count of 4-3.
"We put a solid singles effort in tonight and it came down to the last match on court," UT head coach Al Wermer said on the DePaul match. "Our energy was a bit off in doubles but that'll be corrected. We're still feeling good about our progress and potential."
The Blue Demons began the match inside Lakeshore Sport and Fitness by winning all three doubles matches to earn the opening point.
Toledo fought its way back during singles action with three matches going to a third set. UT claimed two of those matches, including senior Francisco Stuardo (6-4, 4-6, 7-5) at No. 3 singles and senior Terence Weigand (1-6, 6-3, 6-4) at the fifth spot. Sophomore Nicky Wong lost the deciding point in a heartbreaker at No. 4 singles, falling in three sets 6-4, 6-7 & 6-3.
Sophomore Grant Adams has been consistent all season in the No. 2 slot and didn't disappoint against DePaul. Adams notched a straight-set victory, 6-3, 6-2, over Sten Leusink.
The Midnight Blue & Gold will travel to the Badger State next weekend for two contests against Marquette and Wisconsin-Green Bay. Following next weekend, the Rockets will travel to the Pacific Coast Championships in La Jolla, CA on their Spring Break trip.
DePaul 4, Toledo 3
Doubles
1. Hambach/Dzanko def. Stillman/Wong 8-6
2. Leusink/Feilzer def. Adams/Stuardo 5-7
3. Reinhart/John def. Dudzik/Jorgensen 8-4
Singles
1. Filip Dzanko (D) def. Tomas Stillman (T) 6-4, 7-5
2. Grant Adams (T) def. Sten Leusink (D) 6-3, 6-2
3. Francisco Stuardo (T) def. Mathias Hambach (D) 6-4, 4-6, 7-5
4. Jan Willem Feilzer (D) def. Nicholas Wong (T) 6-4, 6-7 6-3
5. Terence Weigand (T) def. Paul John (D) 1-6, 6-3, 6-4
6. Adam Reinhart (D) def. Bryant Dudzik (T) 6-1, 6-3
Toledo 6, at Bradley 1 (Friday)
Doubles
1. Nicholas Wong/tomas Stillman (UT) def. Justin Abrams/Juan Diego Cuadrado (BU), 8-1
2. Ashton Kalhorn/Hamish Weerasinghe (BU) vs. Grant Adams/Francisco Stuardo (UT), Unfinished
3. Bryant Dudzik/Ryan Jorgensen (UT) def. Ahmed Albitar/Michael Davis (BU), 8-4
Singles
1. Tomas Stillman (UT) def. Arthur Romanet (BU), 6-3, 6-3
2. Grant Adams (UT) def. Hamish Weerasinghe (BU), 6-3, 6-4
3. Francisco Stuardo (UT) def. Ahmed Albitar (BU), 6-0, 6-2
4. Juan Diego Cuadrado (BU) def. Nicholas Wong (UT), 1-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7)
5. Terence Weigand (UT) def. Ashton Kalhorn (BU), 6-4, 7-5
6. Bryant Dudzik (UT) def. Justin Abrams (BU), 6-4, 6-4
Western Michigan:
Broncos Win Five Straight, Sweep Friday Twinbill
KALAMAZOO, Mich. - The Western Michigan men's tennis team extended its win streak to five matches, as the Broncos swept both ends of a doubleheader with a 7-0 win over Valparaiso and a 5-2 win over Youngstown State on Friday. With the wins, the Broncos improve to 8-3 overall on the season.
The Broncos dominated singles play through the two matches, winning all six in the victory over the Crusaders and taking five of six in the win against the Penguins. Five Broncos went 2-0 in singles play, and three players - Nadin Indre, Ruben Greiner, and Ross VanderPloeg - posted 3-1 records on the day. The team's five-match win streak is the longest since they won six straight during the 2012 season.
The Broncos opened the day with a win over the Crusaders, taking two of three doubles matches and sweeping the singles sessions. Indre and Greiner dropped Valparaiso's Lucas Waak and Eric Honert 8-4 in the No. 1 doubles match, but the Crusaders responded by winning the No. 2 doubles match 8-6. VanderPloeg teamed with Jim Beckwith to clinch the doubles point, beating Michael Savaglio and Michael Baiocchi 8-6 in the No. 3 doubles match.
The momentum of the doubles point carried into the singles session, as the Broncos blew through the Crusaders' line-up in relatively quick fashion. VanderPloeg was the first Bronco off the court, downing Chris Baum 6-1, 6-1 in the No. 2 doubles match. Indre cruised past Eric Honert 6-0, 6-2 in the No. 1 singles match to make it 3-0, and Pablo Mora similarly dominated Brian Hickey in the No. 6 singles match to clinch the Broncos' victory. Greiner defeated Savaglio 6-2, 6-1 in the No. 3 singles match, Andrew Cahn survived a tight second set with Waak to win 6-3, 7-5, and Aaron Wong rounded out the scoring with a third set super-tiebreaker win, beating Baiocchi 5-7, 6-2, 1-0 (7).
The Broncos weren't able to replicate the doubles success they had against the Crusaders in the match against the Penguins, but the Broncos thoroughly controlled singles play to clinch the 5-2 win. Wong teamed with Stephen Payne to beat Rodrigo Campos and Zeeshan Ismail 8-1 in the No. 2 doubles, but the Penguins took the Nos. 1 and 3 doubles matches to clinch the opening point.
Indre responded with his second singles win of the day, downing fellow Romanian Silviu Mistreanu 6-3, 6-2 in No. 1 singles to tie the team match. Wong controlled the tempo against Campos in the No. 4 singles match, winning 6-1, 6-2, and Mora put the Broncos in position to clinch with a 6-0, 6-3 win over Victor Theorin in the No. 6 singles. Greiner clinched the team win for the Broncos with a 6-2, 6-0 win over Ismail in the No. 3 singles, and VanderPloeg rounded out the Broncos' scoring with a win in No. 2 singles.
Western Michigan University 7, Valparaiso 0
Feb 15, 2013 at Kalamazoo, Mich. (West Hills Athletic Club)
Singles competition
1. Nadin Indre (WMU) def. Eric Honert (VALPO) 6-0, 6-2
2. Ross VanderPloeg (WMU) def. Chris Baum (VALPO) 6-1, 6-1
3. Ruben Greiner (WMU) def. Michael Savaglio (VALPO) 6-2, 6-1
4. Aaron Wong (WMU) def. Michael Baiocchi (VALPO) 5-7, 6-2, 1-0 (10-7)
5. Andrew Cahn (WMU) def. Lucas Waak (VALPO) 6-3, 7-5
6. Pablo Mora (WMU) def. Brian Hickey (VALPO) 6-1, 6-0
Doubles competition
1. Nadin Indre/Ruben Greiner (WMU) def. Lucas Waak/Eric Honert (VALPO) 8-4
2. Chris Baum/Daniel Oakes (VALPO) def. Aaron Wong/Andrew Cahn (WMU) 8-6
3. Ross VanderPloeg/Jim Beckwith (WMU) def. Michael Savaglio/Michael Baiocchi (VALPO) 8-6
Match Notes
Order of finish: Doubles (1,2,3); Singles (2,1,6,3,5,4)
Western Michigan University 5, Youngstown State 2
Feb 15, 2013 at Kalamazoo, Mich. (West Hills Athletic Club)
Singles competition
1. Nadin Indre (WMU) def. Silviu Mistreanu (YSU) 6-3, 6-2
2. Ross VanderPloeg (WMU) def. Sebastian Hagn (YSU) 6-3, 6-1
3. Ruben Greiner (WMU) def. Zeeshan Ismail (YSU) 6-2, 6-0
4. Aaron Wong (WMU) def. Rodrigo Campos (YSU) 6-1, 6-2
5. Felipe Rosa (YSU) def. Andrew Cahn (WMU) 5-7, 6-2, 1-0 (10-8)
6. Pablo Mora (WMU) def. Victor Theorin (YSU) 6-0, 6-3
Doubles competition
1. Sebastian Hagn/Dawoud Kabli (YSU) def. Nadin Indre/Ruben Greiner (WMU) 8-6
2. Aaron Wong/Stephen Payne (WMU) def. Rodrigo Campos/Zeeshan Ismail (YSU) 8-1
3. Silviu Mistreanu/Felipe Rosa (YSU) def. Ross VanderPloeg/Jim Beckwith (WMU) 8-5
Match Notes
Order of finish: Doubles (2,3,1); Singles (1,4,6,3,2,5)