Nick Zieziula

BUFFALO, NY - The University at Buffalo men's tennis team dropped a 7-0 decision to Mid-American Conference rival Ball State Friday night at the Village Glen Tennis Center in Williamsville, NY. The Bulls are now 5-8 overall and 1-2 in league play while the Cardinals improve to 15-6 overall and 2-0 in the MAC.

UB claimed only one set against a tough Ball State squad ranked 61st in the country in the latest rankings by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association. UB's Nick Zieziula (Hamburg, NY/St. Francis) picked up a set against Matt Baccarani in the first singles match for the lone bright spot for the Bulls. Zieziula needed to rally to tie the match and send it into the extra set. He dropped the first set, 6-1, and trailed 3-2 in the second set before winning the final four games of the set to force a third set. However, Baccarani wore down Zieziula taking the final set, 6-2.

The remainder of the singles contests were straight set losses for the Bulls. At number two, UB's Mike Rockman (Toronto, Ontario/Thornlea) fell to Matt Laramore, 6-3, 6-0. At number three, Yules Hadisubroto (Jakarta, Indonesia/SMUN 21) lost to Paul Newman, 6-1, 6-1. UB's Josh Liederman (Queens Village, NY/Benjamin Cardozo), last week's MAC Player of the Week for his stellar play against Toledo, dropped a hard-fought 6-4, 6-3 decision to Patrick Thompson at fourth singles. Number five Matt Kennedy (Mississauga, Ontario/Erindale) dropped a 6-4, 6-2 contest to Klint Knable. At number six, Albert Alant (Pretoria, South Africa/Niskayuna (NY)) fell to Brad Rhodes, 6-3, 6-2.

The Cardinals opened the match by sweeping the Bulls in three doubles matches. Zieziula and Hadisubroto fell to Baccarani and Thompson, ranked 42nd by the ITA, 8-3. The number two and three matches were decided by identical 8-5 scores. Rockman and Liederman were defeated by Laramore and Rhodes at number two and Alant and Kennedy were knocked off by Michael Heule and Jan Polhamus.

The Bulls look to return to the win column on Saturday against MAC foe Northern Illinois. The match is slated for 1 pm on Saturday at the Village Glen Tennis Center.

Ball State 7, Buffalo 0

Doubles

1 Matt Baccarani/Patrick Thompson (BSU) d. Nick Zieziula/Yules Hadisubroto (UB), 8-3

2 Matt Laramore/Brad Rhodes (BSU) d. Mike Rockman/Josh Liederman (UB), 8-5

3 Michael Heule/Jan Polhamus (BSU) d. Albert Alant/Matt Kennedy (UB), 8-5

Singles

1 Matt Baccarani (BSU) d. Nick Zieziula (UB), 6-1, 3-6, 6-2

2 Matt Laramore (BSU) d. Mike Rockman (UB), 6-3, 6-0

3 Paul Newman (BSU) d. Yules Hadisubroto (UB), 6-1, 6-1

4 Patrick Thompson (BSU) d. Josh Liederman (UB), 6-4, 6-3

5 Klint Knable (BSU) d. Matt Kennedy (UB), 6-4, 6-2

6 Brad Rhodes (BSU) d. Albert Alant (UB), 6-3, 6-2