Randy Rocchio

BUFFALO, NY - The University at Buffalo men's tennis team dropped a 5-2 decision to 63rd-ranked Western Michigan on Sunday afternoon at the Village Glen Tennis Center in the Mid-American Conference opener for both squads. UB is now 5-7 overall, 0-1 in the MAC. Western Michigan is now 9-3 overall and 1-0 in league play.

The Bulls picked up singles victories from Randy Rocchio (East Amherst, NY/Williamsville East) at first singles and Mike Rockman (Toronto, Ontario/Thornhill) at fourth singles. Rocchio needed three sets to down Western Michigan's Tommy Dennis. After Dennis won the opening set over Rocchio, 6-0, the UB junior rallied to take the second set 6-4 and then won the match with another 6-4 victory in the third set.

Mike Rockman

Rockman had a relatively easier time against Justin Kates. The freshman rolled to a straight sets win, 6-2, 7-5. It was Rockman's first time this season playing in the number four singles slot after spending much of the season as the number three player but also seeing action at numbers one and two.

The remainder of the singles matches went to the Broncos. At number two, WMU's Jose Orozco defeated UB's Nick Zieziula (Hamburg, NY/St. Francis), 6-4, 6-4. At number three, UB's Josh Liederman (Queens Village, NY/Benjamin Cardozo) was downed by Brady Crosby, 6-1, 6-3. Fifth singles player Yules Hadisubroto (Jakarta, Indonesia) fell to Diego Campello, 7-5, 6-3. At number six, UB's Rangga Prayudha (Jakarta, Indonesia/Hilton Head (SC) Prep)) lost to Dan Grupp, 6-2, 6-2.

Western Michigan swept the doubles play to open the match. Crosby and Dennis defeated Rocchio and Zieziula, 8-3, at number one. Orozco and Jeff French defeated Liederman and Prayudha, 8-4, at number two and Campello and Grupp downed Albert Alant (Pretoria, South Africa/Niskayuna (NY)) and Hadisubroto, at number three, by an identical 8-4 score.

The Bulls take to the road for spring break matches. UB travels to South Carolina-Aiken (March 12), Barry (March 13) and Stetson (March 14).

Western Michigan 5, Buffalo 2

Singles

1 Randy Rocchio (UB) d. Tommy Dennis (WMU), 0-6, 6-4, 6-4

2 Jose Orozco (WMU) d. Nick Zieziula (UB), 6-4, 6-4

3 Brady Crosby (WMU) d. Josh Liederman (UB), 6-1, 6-3

4 Mike Rockman (UB) d. Justin Kates (WMU), 6-2, 7-5

5 Diego Campello (WMU) d. Yules Hadisubroto (UB), 7-5, 6-3

6 Dan Grupp (WMU) d. Rangga Prayudha (UB), 6-2, 6-2

Doubles

1 Brady Crosby/Tommy Dennis (WMU) d. Randy Rocchio/Nick Zieziula (UB), 8-3

2 Jose Orozco/Jeff French (WMU) d. Josh Liederman/Rangga Prayudha (UB), 8-4

3 Diego Campello/Dan Grupp (WMU) d. Albert Alant/Yules Hadisubroto (UB), 8-4