TERRE HAUTE, IND. -- The Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology men's tennis team battled in a tight 5-4 loss to Alma College in the season opener at the Wabash Valley Tennis Center on Saturday night.

Freshman Brandon Benedict (Indianapolis/Perry Meridian) and freshman Georges Adam (Barueri, Brazil/Colegio Pentagono) tallied three points for the Fightin' Engineers.  Benedict and Adam earned a victory at the No. 1 and No. 2 singles positions, after combining to win at the No. 1 doubles spot.

The doubles team of sophomore Matthew Conrad (Anderson/Lapel) and freshman Rafael Pereira Pedreira (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil/Centre Educational Niopolitano) added a victory at the No. 2 spot.

Rose-Hulman returns to action with matches against Simpson and Lewis & Clark in Bloomington, Ill., next weekend.

Alma 5, Rose-Hulman 4

Singles competition
1. Brandon Benedict (RHIT) def. Joshua Gove (AMMT) 6-1, 6-1
2. Georges Adam (RHIT) def. Logan Beard (AMMT) 6-2, 6-4
3. Grant Hill (AMMT) def. Matthew Conrad (RHIT) 7-5, 6-3
4. Bryan Schutte (AMMT) def. Erin Miller (RHIT) 6-2, 6-2
5. Jared Guy (AMMT) def. Joe Kendall (RHIT) 6-1, 6-2
6. Gordon Rumschlag (AMMT) def. R. Pereira Pedreira (RHIT) 6-3, 6-2

Doubles competition
1. Brandon Benedict/Georges Adam (RHIT) def. Grant Hill/Bryan Schutte (AMMT) 8-2
2. R. Pereira Pedreira/Matthew Conrad (RHIT) def. Gordon Rumschlag/Logan Beard (AMMT) 8-6
3. Joshua Gove/Jared Guy (AMMT) def. Ray Montgomery/Erin Miller (RHIT) 8-3