Over spring break, Buffalo's men's tennis team did everything but rest, as they went on a tour of the Midwest, playing four events in three days. The trip was a pleasurable experience for senior Nikesh Singh Panthlia. Yet the rest of the team felt how cold the Midwest can really be, losing all four of its matches.
???The Bulls may not have done as well as they wanted, but there was a great showing of individual play, especially exhibited from Singh Panthlia. For the second time in his career, Singh Panthlia received the Mid-American Conference men's tennis player of the week award.
???He received the honor by winning two of the four matches at the number one spot, putting him at 20 wins on the season. The two wins were against the University of Illinois-Chicago's Bastian Harbo, defeating him 7-6, 7-6, and Chicago State's Prakaso Imanuel 6-3, 6-0.
???Singh Panthlia has already matched his total wins from a year ago, and with 58 career wins, he is currently fourth on the Bulls' all-time victories list. He is also ranked fifth on Buffalo's all-time doubles victories list with 45 wins.
???"He's played great all year long," said head coach Sherif Zaher. "It's his senior year and he's trying to finish on a good note, working hard to get MAC player of the year."
???Singh Panthlia added, "Being MAC Player of the Week is very exciting, and it's a great boost for our team's confidence; I hope that everyone on my team can experience getting that award too.
???The strong individual play couldn't halt the Bulls' losing streak, which began versus Big East opponent DePaul. The Bulls were no match for the Blue Demons, being defeated in straight sets in five of the six matches they played, finishing with a 7-0 loss.
???The Bulls did a much better job versus Horizon League member University of Illinois-Chicago. With wins from Singh Panthlia and a 6-4, 6-4 victory by freshman Ezra Bernstein, the Bulls were able to put wins on the board. The third singles match between Buffalo sophomore Kirill Kolomytes and Adriano Liccardo could have been the third win for the Bulls. Yet, after a 6-1 win in the first set, Kolomytes had to retire due to a nagging shoulder injury.
???The last stop on the Midwest road trip for the Bulls was a double-header involving Big East opponent Marquette and MAC opponent Chicago State. In the first match versus Marquette, Buffalo could not buy a win, losing 7-0 to the Golden Eagles.
???The second match versus Chicago State was everything to be expected from a conference rivalry. Even though the Bulls were swept in the doubles competitions, they were able to catch up by winning three single matches. With the match at three, Bernstein had the opportunity to win the meet for the team. Bernstein lost the first set, but went on to take the second. The third and final set was very close, but Bernstein was unable to close the deal, giving the Bulls a losing score of 4-3.
???After getting some rest, the Bulls concluded their spring break schedule by playing George Washington University at the neutral site of St. Bonaventure. After long, hard play, Buffalo was only able to record one win from Stane, giving the victory to George Washington.
???"We are playing without our number three guy, Kirill Kolomytes, and it makes a big difference in our single and doubles matches," Zaher said. "Our guys have known for weeks that Kirill would be out and they are up for the challenge."
???The Bulls travel to Pittsburgh on Saturday for two non-conference matches versus Robert Morris and Duquesne.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
