SCHENECTADY, N.Y. -- Union lost the home opening match of the 2005 men's tennis season, 4-2 to Rensselaer Wednesday. The final singles match was not completed due to darkness.

Union is now 0-1 while the Engineers improved to 4-0 on the season.

Rensselaer opened the match with the doubles win, after losing the first doubles match. Joe Black (Keene, NH/Keene) and Mike Heligman (San Francisco, CA/Stevenson) were 8-5 winners in the first doubles for Rensselaer and Joe Byrne (Sandwich, NH) and Aashish Kabra (Houston, TX/Clear Lake) won 8-5 in the second doubles. Union was an 8-3 winner in the final doubles match as Drew Goldstein (Jamestown, RI/Hamden Hills) and Sean Tuthill (Northport/Northport) were the victors.

In the first singles match, Andrew Drazin (Short Hills, NJ/Millburn) was a straight set victor for the Dutchmen, 6-0 and 7-5. Ranjeet Minocha won for the guests in the second singles, 1-6, 6-1 (10-8). Kabra was the third singles winner for Rensselaer, 6-1, 6-4.  Sharran Deora (Fremont, CA/The Harker School) was the winner for the Engineers at #4 singles by scores of 7-6 (7-2), 6-2. At #5 singles, Andrew Shoet (Great Neck/Great Neck South) was 7-4, 6-5. The sixth singles was not completed prior to darkness.

Union returns to action April 1 at St. Lawrence.

RENSSELAER 4, UNION 2
DOUBLES:
#1 Joe Black & Mike Heligman (R) def. Andrew Draznin & Jason Leibowitz (U), 8-5
#2 Joe Byrne & Aashish Kabra (R) def. DeVer Warner & Andrew Shohet (U), 8-5
#3 Drew Goldstein & Sean Tuthill (U) def. Amadeus Lopez & Ranjeet Minocha (R), 8-3
SINGLES:
#1 Draznin (U) def. Heligman (R), 6-0, 7-5
#2 Ranjeet Minocha (R) def. Jason Leibowitz (U), 1-6, 6-1 (10-8)
#3 Kabra (R) def. Warner (U), 6-1, 6-4
#4 Sharran Deora (R) def. Goldstein (U), 7-6 (7-2), 6-2
#5 Andrew Shohet (U) def. Joe Black (R), 7-4, 6-5
#6 suspended due to darkness