Bulls Find Early Success at ITA Regionals

Mike Rockman

PHILADELPHIA, PA – Three University at Buffalo men's tennis players are representing the Bulls at the Intercollegiate Tennis Association's regional championships being held this weekend at the University of Pennsylvania.

UB senior Mike Rockman (Toronto, Ontario/Thornlea) opened play in the men's singles draw with a 6-2, 6-1 win over Cprime Realista of St. Peter's. Rockman advanced to Saturday's round of 64 where he will face Princeton's Sratha Saengsuwarn. Saengsuwarn, the tournament's 15th seed earned a first-round bye.

Yules Hadisubroto

Rockman also paired with Yules Hadisubroto (Jakarta, Indonesia/SMUN 21) to the second-round (round of 32) of the doubles competition. The UB duo knocked off Quinnipiac's Stefano Salvatore and Goldy Sherrill by a score of 8-2. Rockman and Hadisubroto will face Brown's Basu Ratnam and Eric Thomas, who upset the ninth-seed in the tournament, Penn State's Ryan Berger and Brad Hunter in their first round match.

Nikesh Singh Panthlia (George Town, Malaysia/BMK Penang Free School) competed in the tournament's qualifying bracket on Thursday playing a pair of three-set matches. He opened play with a victory over St. Bonaventure's Andrew Hart, 7-6 (1), 4-6, 6-3. Singh Panthlia was denied in his shot to make the main draw of the tournament by Stony Brook's Quirjin Van Veen. Singh Panthlia opened the match with a 6-4 win in the opening set, before falling 6-3, 6-3 in the final two sets.

Play continues through Sunday.