VESTAL, N.Y.- The Binghamton men's tennis team beat Ball State, 5-2, Sunday morning, clinching a spot in the Mid-American (MAC) Conference Tournament. The Bearcats will compete for their first-ever MAC title next weekend at Northern Illinois.
 
After Ball State won the doubles' point with two pairs' wins, BU had to rally for the win. Junior #1 Sid Hazarika beat Ray Leonard in straight sets, but Lucas Andersen took a three-set match from Binghamton's Robin Lesage in the #2 contest. Ismael Dinia earned BU a point with a tight, 7-6 (3), 6-4, win over Patrick Elliott. In the #4 match, Eliott Hureau picked up a straight set victory over Jan Jirus.
 
"This morning we discussed with the team how we have faced a lot of adversity this season and been put in difficult circumstances with our travel, the number of ranked teams and the coaching changes mid-year, but that those challenges have served to make us a better team in the long run," said first-year head coach Nick Zieziula. "That came to life in today's match as we lost the doubles' point and lost three first sets. Ball State came ready to compete, but when we faced adversity, we used it as a reason to step up our game and not back down."
 
Sophomore Thomas Caputo had the chance to secure the team win in the #5 match, and the Livingston, New Jersey, native came through. After dropping the first set, 6-2, Caputo came back, taking games 7-5 and 6-4 to clinch BU's win and a spot in next week's conference tournament.
 
"We talked with Caputo early in the week and told him that we were going to need his point, so it was fitting that he was the fourth point to clinch it today," said Zieziula. "It was a gritty match on all courts and we pulled together as a team and put together a great effort."
 
Frenk Kote rallied for a three-set win over Patrick Downs in the #6 contest. Kote won by scores of 0-6, 6-3, and 7-6 (5) to close out the match.
 
BU improved to 7-15 overall and 3-2 in the MAC. It will be the third seed in the four-team MAC Tournament, hosted by Northern Illinois next weekend. Binghamton will square off with Western Michigan at 2 p.m. on Friday, April 24. NIU won the regular season title and will face fourth-seeded Buffalo at 10 a.m. on Friday. The winners will meet in the championship match on Saturday, April 25, at 1 p.m.  
 
"We have focused on the process of working hard each day and improving piece by piece. We will continue that process this week and carry that attitude through Dekalb," said Zieziula.

BU's two seniors, Lesage and Dinia, were both honored prior to the match Sunday.
 
DOUBLES
1. Elliott/Andersen (BALL) def. Lesage/Hureau (BU), 6-4
2. Leonard/Collin Rigney (BALL) def. Dinia/Shah (BU), 6-2
3. Hazarika/Kote (BU) def. Stutz/Patrick Downs (BALL), 6-2
 
SINGLES
1. Sid Hazarika (BU) def. Ray Leonard (BALL), 7-5, 6-4
2. Lucas Andersen (BALL) def. Robin Lesage (BU), 6-1, 6-7 (5), 6-2
3. Ismael Dinia (BU) def. Patrick Elliott (BALL), 7-6 (3), 6-4
4. Eliott Hureau (BU) def. Jan Jirus (BALL), 6-0, 6-3
5. Thomas Caputo (BU) def. Andrew Stutz (BALL), 2-6, 7-5, 6-4
6. Frenk Kote (BU) def. Patrick Downs (BALL), 0-6, 6-3, 7-6 (5)