MAC MEN'S TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIP DAY ONE RESULTS
2017 MAC Men's Tennis Championship Scoreboard: April 28-29 at Western Michigan University
Friday, April 28
10:00 am ET No. 1 Buffalo 4, No. 4 Northern Illinois 1 Final
2:00 pm ET No. 2 Western Michigan 4, No. 3 Ball State 2 Final
Saturday, April 29
1:00 pm ET Championship Match - No. 1 Buffalo vs. No. 2 Western Michigan
No. 1 Buffalo defeats No. 4 Northern Illinois, 4-1
Bulls Advance To MAC Championship With 4-1 Win Over NIU
KALAMAZOO, MI – It has always been said "it's hard to beat the same team three times," but the University at Buffalo men's tennis team had little trouble defeating the Northern Illinois Huskies for the third time this season and the second time in five day with a 4-1 victory in the semifinals of the Mid-American Conference Tournament. With the win, the Bulls advance to Saturday's Mid-American Conference Championship match.
For the first time this year, the Bulls took the doubles point from Northern Illinois as they picked up wins at one and two. The freshmen duo of Hao Sheng Koay and Filip Grbic won at one to get the day started, 6-3, and then Petr Vodak and Villhelm Fridell won at two, 6-3, to give UB the early 1-0 advantage.
The Huskies got on the board with a victory at second singles, but UB quickly regained the lead as Koay came away with a straight sets win at one, 6-3, 6-2. The other four matches all went into three sets. Fridell won his opening set at four, 6-2, but then dropped the second set, 6-2, before he shutout his opponent in the third, 6-0. That win put UB up 3-1 and close to clinching.
Sophomore Ethan Nittolo lost his opening set at six, but he came back to win the second set 6-3 and then he took the third set 6-1, which sent the Bulls into the MAC Championship match. The Bulls did win first set at both three and five, but both of those matches were in the third set when the contest was stopped.
The top-seeded Bulls will now face either #2 Western Michigan or #3 Ball State in tomorrow's championship with the league's automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament at stake. The match will begin at 1:00pm from Kalamazoo, MI.
Doubles:
Hao Sheng Koay/Filip Grbic (UB) def. Eric Marbach/Georg Lundkvist (NIU), 6-3
Petr Vodak/Villhelm Fridell (UB) vs. Louis Hamel/Tom Hjertonsson (NIU), 6-3
Tony Miller/Ethan Nittolo (UB) vs. Carlos Manzanas/Bor Schweiger Muzar (NIU), 3-5, unfinished
Order of Finish: 1,2
Singles:
Hao Sheng Koay (UB) def. Georg Lundkvist (NIU), 6-3, 6-2
Bor Schweiger Muzar (NIU) def. Vidit Vaghela (UB), 6-2, 6-1
Filip Grbic (UB) vs. Eric Marbach (NIU), 6-3, 2-6, 2-5, unfinished
Villhelm Fridell (UB) def. Tom Hjertonsson (NIU), 6-2, 2-6, 6-0
Petr Vodak (UB) vs. Louis Hamel (NIU), 6-1, 4-6, 3-0, unfinished
Ethan Nittolo (UB) def. Carlos Manzanas (NIU), 4-6, 6-3, 6-1
Order of Finish: 2,1,4,6
No. 2 Western Michigan defeats No. 3 Ball State, 4-2
Broncos To Defend MAC Tournament Title On Saturday
Box Score
KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Western Michigan men's tennis team will look to defend its Mid-American Conference (MAC) Tournament title on Saturday after defeating Ball State 4-2 Friday afternoon at Sorensen Courts. The Broncos will face Buffalo in the MAC Tournament Championship on Saturday, April 29 at 1 p.m. at Sorensen Courts/West Hills Athletic Club.
The Broncos started out hot, grabbing the doubles point with wins at No. 1 and No. 2. The duo of Matt Hamilton/Maik Steiner earned a 6-2 win at No. 2 while Kennosuke Nouchi/Daniel Loebel finished it off, winning 6-3 at No. 1. Hamilton/Steiner have now won five in a row while Loebel/Nouchi have now won three in a row.
In singles, Hamilton earned a quick 6-1, 6-0 win at No. 2 to put WMU up 2-0, but Ball State claimed No. 1 to make it 2-1. Jannik Opitz was the next Bronco done, winning 6-2, 6-4 at No. 6 to put WMU up 3-1. The Cardinals didn't quit, winning 7-5, 6-3 at No. 4 to make it 3-2, setting the table to Steiner. The junior won in two sets, but it wasn't easy as momentum shifted multiple times in the match. Steiner came away with a 6-4, 7-5 win at No. 3 to clinch the match and start a Bronco celebration on the court.
The Broncos fell in the only match this season against Buffalo, 4-3 at West Hills on March 30.
