Bulls Bow to Toledo, 6-1

Nikesh Singh Panthlia scores lone victory for UB men's tennis

Nikesh Singh Panthlia

TOLEDO, OH – The University at Buffalo men’s tennis team slipped back near the .500 level on Sunday with a 6-1 loss to Mid-American Conference rival Toledo at Toledo's Varsity Courts. The Bulls are now 8-7 overall and 0-3 in MAC play while the Rockets move to 13-7 and 1-0 in the MAC.

The lone victory for the Bulls on Sunday was at second singles as Nikesh Singh Panthlia (George Town, Malaysia/BMK Penang Free School) scored a straight-sets win over Toledo's Chris Clark, 7-6, 6-2. Singh Panthlia won the first set in a 7-4 tiebreaker and reclaimed a tie for the team lead in singles wins with his 15th of the season.

Singh Panthlia and Yules Hadisubroto (Jakarta, Indonesia/SMUN 21) fell in the doubles competition to Tony Tran and Mohammed Al Nabhani, 8-5, in the number one match. UB also dropped the number two and three matches. At number two, UB’s Matt Kennedy (Mississauga, Ontario/Erindale) and Albert Alant (Pretoria, South Africa/Niskayuna (NY)) were defeated by Josh Moran and Brian Rager, 8-7 (2). Because the Rockets had already won the doubles point, the number two match was shortened when the teams tied at 7-7 and completed with a tiebreaker. UB’s number three team of Mike Zappone (Queensbury, NY/Queensbury) and Alejandro Galindo (Torreon, Mexico/Preparatoria Tec) fell to Jared Miller and Wade Ward, 8-0.

Five of the six singles matches went to Toledo as the Rockets used a more rested lineup to take the contest. At number one, UB's Mike Rockman (Toronto, Ontario/Thornlea) fell to Al Nabhani, 6-1, 7-5. Hadisubroto, at number three, dropped a 6-3, 6-2 decision to Jared Miller. At number four, Octavian Stane (Toronto, Ontario/Leaside) lost to Travis Curran, 7-6 (5), 6-4. Alant, at number five, fell to Moran, 6-3, 6-0. Kennedy, playing in the number six slot, lost to Cristobal Toral, 6-1, 6-2.

The Bulls have the next week to recuperate as they are idle until April 10 when they travel to Niagara for a non-conference matchup with the Purple Eagles.

Toledo 6, Buffalo 1

Doubles

1 Tony Tran/Mohammed Al Nabhani (UT) d. Nikesh Singh Panthlia/Yules Hadisubroto (UB), 8-5

2 Josh Moran/Brian Rager (UT) d. Matt Kennedy/Albert Alant (UB), 8-7 (2)

3 Jared Miller/Wade Ward (UT) d. Mike Zappone/Alejandro Galindo (UB), 8-0

Singles

1 Mohammed Al Nabhani (UT) d. Mike Rockman (UB), 6-1, 7-5

2 Nikesh Singh Panthlia (UB) d. Chris Clark (UT), 7-6 (4), 6-2

3 Jared Miller (UT) d. Yules Hadisubroto (UB), 6-3, 6-2

4 Travis Curran (UT) d. Octavian Stane (UB), 7-6 (5), 6-4

5 Josh Moran (UT) d. Albert Alant (UB), 6-3, 6-0

6 Cristobal Toral (UT) d. Matt Kennedy (UB), 6-1, 6-2

04/02/2006