The Binghamton men’s tennis team entered the Mid-American Conference Tournament on fire, having captured five of its last six matches. After a disappointing start to the year, the Bearcats improved their play in April and looked to continue their success by earning a bid to the NCAA Tournament.
In the semifinals, the Bearcats matched up with Western Michigan, a team that narrowly defeated Binghamton in the beginning of the season. But this time, head coach Nick Zieziula knew that his team’s matchup against the Broncos would be different.
While the meeting proved to be just as close as the 4-3 loss the Bearcats endured against the Broncos earlier in the season, BU was able to emerge victorious. The difference in this match came in the doubles point, as Binghamton won sets at the first and second doubles to take the 1-0 advantage heading into the singles matches.
Junior Sid Hazarika, who has been a strong presence at first singles for the Bearcats all season, was able to send BU to the MAC finals with his 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 victory. Hazarika was a game away from losing the match in the second set, but fought back and ultimately took home the fourth point.
On Saturday, when the Bearcats squared off with fourth-seeded Buffalo, they were unable to pull off a dramatic win like they had the day before. Binghamton once again won the doubles point, and Hazarika quickly took the point at first singles.
But after getting off to a 2-0 start, the Bearcats fell flat. Buffalo came back to win tough matches at second, fourth and fifth singles, and then stunned BU at the sixth singles position. Sophomore Frenk Kote was winning in the third set of his match at the sixth singles, but dropped six games in a row to seal the match for Buffalo, 4-2.
Seniors Robin Lesage and Ismael Dinia are the only Bearcats set to graduate after the season, with seven set to return. BU will replace the pair with two highly touted freshman recruits from Europe set to join the program for the 2015-16 season.