Bearcats Break Men's Tennis

The University at Buffalo's men's tennis team suffered two big setbacks over the weekend.

First, they found out that their number one player, Randy Rocchio, would be out for the rest of the season due to an elbow injury. Then, Binghamton soundly defeated the Bulls by a final score of 5-2, on Sunday afternoon.

Losing your best player for the remainder of the season is a tough enough pill to swallow, but the UB men's tennis team had the daunting task of packing up the van and heading east to give a talented Binghamton squad a run for its money.

UB's Nick Zieziula and Matt Kennedy started off the day by defeating Dan Hanegby and Brian O'Connor, 8-4 at number one doubles. The other doubles tandem to win their respective match was Yules Hadisubroto and Albert Alant. The two won by a score of 8-5 at number three doubles.

"Kennedy and Zieziula played exceptional doubles. They played the best doubles match that I've seen them play together," head coach Russ Crispell said. "Mike Rockman, he's just been Mr. Consistent. He plays to win whatever way he can."

Rockman scored the lone singles victory for the Bulls, playing at second singles.

At number one singles, the Bearcats' Hanegby defeated Zieziula 6-0, 6-2. The Bulls' Hadisubroto lost at third singles to Dobrin, 6-1, 6-2 while Lieberman fell to O'Connor at number four singles, 6-0, 6-1. Binghamton's Mohamed captured the victory at the number five singles spot by defeating Kennedy, 6-4, 6-2. Finally at the number six singles spot, the Bearcats' Tony Piro defeated Alant 1-6, 6-4, 6-4.

"We can't expect everyone to be on their A game every week, but the key of a champion is to learn how to adjust your game and learn different styles to win," Crispell said.

However, Crispell did see his team do a few good things against Binghamton.

"We've been working hard on winning the doubles point, so winning the doubles point today meant a lot. We knew we would have big shoes to fill losing Rocchio," Crispell said. "It was tough, especially against Binghamton; they're a good program."

Senior Nick Zieziula was also very proud of his team's doubles point.

"It really showed how much the team has been working that we went out and took the doubles point from Binghamton. In years past if we lost one of our best players, we would have been done for, but to be able to mix up the lineup and put together a doubles point against a team as strong as Binghamton is, was big for out confidence," Zieziula said.

After the meet, Crispell said he was shaken up about losing Rocchio for the season.

"We've had a very emotional week learning that we lose Rocchio for the rest of the season," Crispell said.

Besides Rocchio himself, his doubles partner, Zieziula, has probably taken Rocchio's season-ending injury harder than anyone else.

"From my perspective, losing Randy can't be put into words. As a friend, roommate, doubles partner, teammate, seeing Randy walk into practice last Thursday (with an injury) was the worst day I've had playing on the team for three plus years," Zieziula said.

Both players are seniors, so this year would have been their last hurrah together, Ziezula said.

"There was so much that we have accomplished as a doubles team, yet so many more goals that we had for this year," Zieziula said.

Crispell reported that Rocchio will serve as a volunteer undergraduate assistant for the remainder of the season and that he will attempt to come back playing with his right arm instead of his left, which according to Crispell is "unheard of; it's like teaching a quarterback to throw with his opposite hand."

During an otherwise sour weekend, the Bulls were able to qualify three singles players and two doubles pairs for the Intercollegiate Tennis Association for the first time in team history.

In singles competition, both Rocchio and Zieziula received bids for the ITA and Hadisubroto qualified for a bid. Lieberman and Rockman were awarded a bid in the doubles draw. Kennedy and Zieziula were the other duo to make the ITA.

Zieziula feels that having this many players qualify for the ITA is a sign that there is more to come.

"Having that many players from our program qualify sends a message to programs in the East that we are on the move, and it's huge from a recruiting point of view," he said.

By sending so many players to the ITA, UB's men's tennis team seems to be sending the rest of their opponents a message: UB tennis is on the rise.

"We've had a great fall season; not every team can win every time. We've got a long-term goal to play well in the MAC this spring. Our objective is not now, it's five or six months down the road when (MAC) conference play starts," added Crispell.