MEN'S TENNIS

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PITTSBURGH, PA - The University at Buffalo's men's tennis team dropped a heartbreaking 4-3 decision to Atlantic Ten opponent Duquesne on Friday night in Pittsburgh. The match came down to the final singles competition before a winner could be determined.

Randy Rocchio

The Bulls (5-6) opened the match by securing the doubles point with two victories. Number-one singles duo Nick Zieziula (Hamburg, NY/St. Francis) and Randy Rocchio (East Amherst, NY/Williamsville East) picked up an 8-6 win over Rob Ojeda and Micael Lopez-Acevedo. At third doubles, Rohan Raikar (Albany, NY/Albany) and Rangga Prahudha (Jakarta, Indonesia/ESI International Academy) need an extra game to dispose of brothers Russell and Ryan Moseley by a 9-7 margin. The number-two doubles team of Fery Kasiman (Jakarta, Indonesia/ESI International Academy) and Josh Liederman (Queens Village, NY/Benjamin Cardozo) dropped an 8-5 decision to Seth Fogelman and Devon Peightal.

In the singles competition, UB managed to pick up two victories while Duquesne earned three to tie the match at 3-3 with one match to be completed. Rocchio defeated Russell Moseley, 6-0, 7-6 (7-5) at number three while Prahudha earned a 7-5, 6-4 win at number five over Ryan Moseley for the two UB wins. Kasiman fell in three sets to Fogelman at number one, 7-5, 4-6, 6-3. At number two Liederman was defeated by Lopez-Acevedo, who had transferred to Duquesne from Mid-American Conference rival Bowling Green, in straight sets, 6-2, 6-3. Raikar also suffered a straight sets loss to Ojeda at sixth singles, 7-6 (7-3), 6-3, setting the stage for the tiebreaking match.

The fourth singles match between Zieziula and Peightal was tightly contested throughout the night with Peightal taking the first set, 6-4, before Zieziula rallied to take the second set by an identical 6-4 count to force a third set. Both players remained on serve as the set headed to a tiebreaker tied at six games apiece. But Zieziula was unable to pull out the victory as he suffered a 7-4 loss in the tiebreaker to give Peightal the 7-6 third-set decision.

UB looks to regroup as it heads to the warmer climate of Florida for spring break matches. The team will be in the Sunshine State from March 7-14, before returning north to make up earlier postponed matches at Rochester on March 16 and Western Michigan on March 18.