Bulls Slip Against Duquesne, 4-3

Nikesh Singh Panthlia

MONROEVILLE, PA – The University at Buffalo men’s tennis team dropped a 4-3 decision at Duquesne, Sunday afternoon to complete its weekend trip to Western Pennsylvania.

The Bulls (4-12) scored the opening doubles point against the Dukes (16-5) with victories in the number one and two matches. UB’s top combination of Nikesh Singh Panthlia (George Town, Malaysia/BMK Penang Free School) and Octavian Stane (Toronto, Ontario/Leaside) scored an 8-5 win over Duquesne’s Michael Ortega and Mikhael Rasner. The number two squad of Marcelo Mazzetto (Sao Paulo, Brazil/Colegio Carlos Magno) and Juan Carlos Wynter (Puebla, Mexico/American School) defeated Duquesne’s Mark Maciuch and Zach Skorupka, 8-4. The Bulls fell short of the sweep as the number three team of Eric Rothstein (Phoenixville, PA/Great Valley) and Alexis Lluis (Mexico City, Mexico/Colegio Americano de Tabasco) lost in a tiebreaker to Jeremy McClelland and Steve Herchko, 8-7 (5).

UB could only claim two of the six singles matches. At number one, Singh Panthlia was stretched to three sets by Ortega, scoring a 7-6 (4), 4-6, 6-1 win. Stane was the only other Bull to pick up a singles victory with his straight-sets win over Skorupka in the number three match.

The clinching match was in the number two contest as Mazzetto went three sets against McClelland, falling 7-5, 2-6, 6-4.

The Bulls return home next weekend to host Mid-American Conference rival Western Michigan. The Bulls and Broncos hit the courts on Saturday, March 29 at 9:00 am.

Duquesne 4, Buffalo 3

Doubles

1 Nikesh Singh Panthlia/Octavian Stane (UB) d. Michael Ortega/Mikhael Rasner (DU), 8-5

2 Marcelo Mazzetto/Juan Carlos Wynter (UB) d. Mark Maciuch/Zach Skorupka (DU), 8-4

3 Jeremy McClelland/Steve Herchko (DU) d. Eric Rothstein/Alexis Lluis (UB), 8-7 (5)

Order of finish: 2 1 3

Singles

1 Nikesh Singh Panthlia (UB) d. Michael Ortega (DU), 7-6 (4), 4-6, 6-1

2 Jeremy McClelland (DU) d. Marcelo Mazzetto (UB), 7-5, 2-6, 6-4

3 Octavian Stane (UB) d. Zach Skorupka (DU), 6-1, 6-3

4 Mikhael Rasner (DU) d. Juan Carlos Wynter (UB), 6-2, 7-6 (8)

5 Mark Maciuch (DU) d. Alexis Lluis (UB), 6-3, 6-3

6 Gustavo Villares (DU) d. Eric Rothstein (UB), 6-3, 6-2

Order of finish: 6 5 3 4 1 2