No. 3 NIU men’s tennis (18-8, 7-3 MAC) was swept 4-0 by the defending champions No. 1 University at Buffalo (16-6, 8-2 MAC) in the Mid-American Conference Men’s Tennis Championship final on Sunday. 

The Huskies, fresh off a 4-3 comeback win against No. 2 Western Michigan University in the semi-final, were unable to spoil back to back MAC titles for Buffalo and now are 0-2 in MAC Tournament finals.

A sturdy Bulls side dominated doubles before suffocating NIU in singles matchups No. 3, 4 and 6. 

“First, I want to thank each member of our Huskie men’s tennis team. As coaches, we gave them our hearts and we appreciate the guys for giving their hearts back to us in return,” head coach René Vidal said. “Second, a big congratulations to Coach Lee Nickel and his Buffalo men’s tennis program. Winning back-to-back championships in this current collegiate athletic environment is a huge accomplishment. We wish them the best.”

DOUBLES

At No. 1, NIU’s doubles play woes continued with seniors Iker Gaztambide Arrastia and Federico Scotuzzi unable to keep up with senior Theodoris Mitsakos and graduate student Clement Mainguy.

The Bulls duo managed a 6-3 result with dominant serves; winning 16-of-22, 76%, first serve points to NIU’s 8-of-13, 62%. 

Arrastia and Scotuzzi only had a first serve success rate of 13-of-23, 57%, with their second serves not being effective; Buffalo was able to win seven of 10 second serve return points. 

The seniors broke a serve down 4-0, but Buffalo converted their serves to round out Set 1. 

Huskies’ sophomore pair Nikola Puntaric and Lorenzo Leti Messina conceded the doubles point after falling to junior duo Michael Malkin and Onder Balci 6-2. 

The sophomores were plagued by personal errors, committing four double faults in swing moments including the final game. Meanwhile, the Buffalo pair played a cleaner game with zero double faults allowing them to control the game.

Malkin and Balci had a slightly higher success rate on first serves, landing 16-of-24, 67%, and converting 13-of-16, 81%,  to NIU’s 14-of-24, 58%, first serve rate and 10-of-14, 71% conversion rate.

No. 3 matchup between sophomore duo Pratyaksh LNU and Chiao Bo Suo Nan against senior Faiz Nasyam and junior Minjae Kim was abandoned at 4-4. 

SINGLES 

Senior Emiliano Joquera doubled the lead at No. 5 with a decisive 6-2, 6-1 win over Bo Suo Nan. 

Despite a decent 28-of-43, 65%, first serve rate, the Huskie failed to convert on 28 first serve opportunities, only winning nine points or 32% to Joquera’s 23 first serve points on 31 attempts, 74%.

Suo Nan was more efficient on second serve points, converting 8-of-15 but Joquera did enough to prevent any momentum. Joquera also collected five break points on nine attempts to Suo Nan’s zero on five attempts, leaving the Huskie with no rhythm on his returns. 

At No. 6, Pratyaksh LNU’s 6-2 loss to Nasyam in straight sets was the second domino to fall in singles play Buffalo’s way. 

Nasyam played a more controlled game, landing 34-of-41 83% first serves with 24-of-34, 71%, points won compared to LNU’s 23-of-44, 52%, and 13-of-23, 57%, first serve points. 

LNU’s aggressive approach led to volatility with three aces but also three double faults. Nasyam’s return ability, being able to win 22-of-44, 50%, points while collecting 4-of-6, 67%, break points put steady pressure on LNU.

Buffalo’s winning point came at No. 3 with Mainguy’s 6-1, 6-4 win versus Leti Messina. 

Mainguy and Leti Messina recorded high first serve rates at 42-of-45, 93%, and 47-of-50 at 94% respectively but the Bull was much more lethal. Mainguy converted 31-of-42, 74%, first serve points and three aces compared to the Huskie’s 35-of-47, 53%. 

Mainguy’s efficiency on returns earned him 4-of-6, 67%, break points while Leti Messina couldn’t generate enough danger on returns. The Rome native went down fighting in the second set but was broken at 4-4 as he fell 6-4. 

NIU men’s tennis will return to action in the fall.