Buffalo Bulls Men's Tennis falls to #47 Cornell 4-3

Last year, a banged up Men's Tennis team fell to nationally-ranked Cornell 7-0. In 2016, Cornell was still nationally ranked, and though UB was healthier, they fell narrowly this afternoon to the Big Red 4-3.

Official lineup against @Cornell_Tennis! pic.twitter.com/Rya3knz6wd

— UB Men's Tennis (@UBmenstennis) January 22, 2016

The doubles point was surprisingly competitive, using the same pairings as against Bryant, but with Noah Hajdu-Andersson and Akhil Mehta moved up a spot. All three matchups featured a number of broken serves, but UB couldn't hold leads at both #1 (4-2) and #2 (5-3) doubles. Amar Hromic and Pablo Alvarez fought back to force a tiebreaker, but their set was abandoned as Hajdu-Andersson and Mehta dropped two straight breaks and four straight points to lose 7-5. UB's earlier loss at #3 doubles (6-3) sealed the - really, winnable - opening point for Cornell.

The singles matches started similarly strong, as UB won three first sets. But the second sets were decidedly in Cornell's favor even as Ethan Nittolo closed out a delayed first set win by tiebreaker and Hromic and Alvarez salted away straight-set victories at #1 and #2 singles, 6-4, 6-2. Mehta and Sergio Arevalillo went down in straight sets, and Hajdu-Andersson ceded his leads to play a third set.

Though the match was cinched when Hajdu-Andersson fell in his third set, Nittolo has at publish a chance to salvage a 4-3 final score, which would be a pleasant surprise against the #47 Big Red. I'll update once that's over, but regardless, the strength in doubles and at the top of the singles rotation should be very encouraging for UB fans not just heading into Brown on Sunday, but for the whole season.

Update: Nittolo indeed makes it 4-3 for Cornell with a nice win. After dropping the second set, 6-1, he won the third 'set'* breaker 12-10 to take the win.

*If a third set begins after the match is already clinched in the team score, it is played only as a ten-point tiebreaker.

Doubles

Hromic/Alvarez (UB) vs Casares/Vrabel (COR); 6-6 (susp.)
Sinclair/Volfson (COR) def. Hajdu-Andersson/Mehta (UB); 7-5 
Vinti/Arem (COR) def. Arevalillo/Nittolo (UB); 6-3

Singles

Hromic (UB) def. Volfson (COR); 6-4, 6-2
Alvarez (UB) def. Vrabel (COR); 6-4, 7-6 (1)
Nittolo (UB vs Casares (COR); 7-6 (5), 2-5 (in progress)
Sinclair (COR) def. Arevalillo (UB); 6-4, 6-3 
Vinti (COR) def. Mehta; 6-4, 6-1
Arem (UB) def. Hajdu-Andersson (UB); (4-6), 6-2, 6-1