The Miami tennis team secured a crucial 4-3 win at home against Mid-American Conference (MAC) opponent Buffalo on April 14, avenging a loss against the Bulls earlier in the season. 

The narrow victory was secured when number three singles player Sara Zalukar defeated her opponent in a three-hour and 31-minute showdown, claiming the final point of the match. 

“I know I am not playing just for myself, I am playing for my teammates too,” Zalukar said. “I am playing for each one of them, and seeing them fight next to me cheering helped me today.”

After losing in doubles, Miami fell behind 1-0. The RedHawks quickly regained the overall lead  2-1 after Catherine Denysiewicz-Slowek and Emilia Valentinsson both won their singles matches. 

Buffalo regained the lead following a pair of two set losses for Sarah Dev and Nisitha Saravanan. A three set win from Miami freshman Lauren Joyce evened the score again to 3-3. 

“We need to be a little better at doubles,” head coach Ricardo Rosas said. “We need to execute the game plan that we practice so when we get the singles we have a little more freedom to be relaxed and loose, not finishing it out this close.”

The match, a steady back-and-forth battle, came down to the very last point, in three full sets of play for Zalukar.

“I tried to focus and not think too much of the score,” Zalukar said. “I needed to stay present in the moment and think ‘one point at a time’ and go from there.”

The win puts Miami in second place in the MAC East division ahead of Buffalo and behind the University of Toledo.

“Today was good for me to see that they can find their best tennis game in the moment,” Rosas said. “I am happy for them, they are a very resilient group and it’s paying off.”

The RedHawks will travel to Bowling Green on April 19 before closing out regular season play at the  MAC championship tournament.