POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. – Taking to the court for the first time in 285 days, the Union College men's tennis team started strong in doubles play but could not keep up the momentum in singles action as the Dutchmen fell 6-3 to Vassar College in the teams' 2020-21 spring opener on Saturday at Josselyn Courts.
 
The visitors started the day well, taking two of three doubles contests to grab an early lead. After sophomores Aidan O'Brien and Thomas McGuire fell 8-4 in their first-double match, senior Max Egna and junior Cameron Klepper were victorious by the same score to even the contest. Senior David Bond and junior Nick Weitzman then put the Dutchmen ahead by outlasting Nick Demaria and Jay Wong in a tiebreaker, 8-7 (7-4).
 
Unfortunately for Union, the momentum could not carry over to singles play, as the home team took five of the six matchups to pull out the victory. Freshman Bailey McAtee gave Union a 3-2 lead by pulling out a 6-2, 6-1 sixth-singles victory in his collegiate debut, but Union could not win more than four games in any of the remaining four singles matches.
 
Union will continue Liberty League play next Saturday, when the Dutchmen return home to host St. Lawrence University beginning at noon.