MAC MEN'S TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIP
2018 MAC Men's Tennis Championship Scoreboard: April 27-28 at the University at Buffalo
Friday, April 27
10:00 am ET No. 1 Western Michigan 4, No. 4 Ball State 0 Final
2:00 pm ET No. 2 Buffalo 4, No. 3 Northern Illinois 3 Final
Saturday, April 28
1:00 pm ET Championship Match - No. 1 Western Michigan 4, No. 2 Buffalo 2
No. 1 Western Michigan defeats No. 2 Buffalo, 4-2
WILLIAMSVILLE, N.Y. – The Western Michigan men's tennis team claimed its 12th Mid-American Conference Tournament title on Saturday afternoon, defeating the host Buffalo Bulls, 4-2, and earning the league's automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament. After going a perfect 7-0 during the conference regular season, the Broncos improve to 22-4 overall and are winners of their last 11 matches.
For the first time against any conference opponent this season, the Broncos dropped the doubles point in front of a rowdy crowd inside the Miller Tennis Center. The Bulls clinched the point at three to take the early 1-0 lead but not before the Bronco duo of juniors Eric Olivarez and Nick Schnobel won their match at two, defeating their opponents 6-3. With the victory, the two are now 10-1 at No. 2 this season.
Singles would go back and forth as four of the six matches saw at least one set tiebreaker. Junior Matej Svjetlicic evened the match with a straight sets win at five, picking up his 23rd victory this spring but the Bulls regained the lead with a win at three.
The Broncos began to battle their way back as matches at one, two and four all were in second set tiebreakers at the same time. Junior Lenhard Haupt came away with a 6-4, 7-6 (4) win at No. 4 to tie the match at 2-2 just before senior Maik Steiner put WMU in front with a 6-3, 7-6 (4) win at No. 1, earning his 10th straight victory.
After falling in his first set at No. 6, Olivarez won the second set in a marathon tiebreaker while sophomore Jannik Opitzsaw his match at two go into a third set as well. Opitz dominated the third set as he won 6-1 to win his 12th straight match and clinch the MAC title for the Broncos. With his performance, Opitz was also named Tournament MVP.
Western Michigan will have to wait for a few days to see what happens next, as the NCAA Selection Show is scheduled for Tuesday, May 1 at 5:30 p.m.
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FINAL SCORE: Western Michigan 4, Buffalo 2
DOUBLES LINEUP
1. Vidit Vaghela/Petr Vodak (UB) def. Jannik Opitz/Kennosuke Nouchi (WMU), 6-3
2. Eric Olivarez/Nick Schnobel (WMU) def. Villhelm Fridell/Hao Sheng Koay (UB), 6-3
3. Ethan Nittolo/Matthew Johnson (UB) def. Billy Heckman/Maik Steiner (WMU), 6-4
*Order of Finish: 1,2,3
SINGLES LINEUP
1. Maike Steiner (WMU) def. Hao Sheng Koay (UB), 6-3, 7-6 (4)
2. Jannik Opitz (WMU) def. Villhelm Fridell (UB), 6-4, 6-7 (6), 6-1
3. Ethan Nittolo (UB) def. Kennosuke Nouchi (WMU), 6-4, 6-4
4. Lenhard Haupt (WMU) def. Petr Vodak (UB), 6-4, 7-6 (4)
5. Matej Svjetlicic (WMU) def. Nickolas Frisk (UB), 6-0, 6-1
6. Eric Olivarez (WMU) vs. Vidit Vaghela (UB), 5-7, 7-6 (7)
*Order of Finish: 5,3,4,1,2
2018 MAC Men's Tennis Tournament Most Valuable Player
- Jannik Opitz, Western Michigan
2018 MAC Men's Tennis All-Tournament Team:
- Thibault De Negri, Ball State
- Villehelm Fridell, Buffalo
- Vidit Vaghela, Buffalo
- Louis Philippe Hamel, Northern Illinois
- Jannik Opitz, Western Michigan
- Maik Steiner, Western Michigan
