FRANKLIN, Ind. - The Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology men's tennis team opened Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) play with an 8-1 victory at Franklin College on Saturday, March 14.

The Fightin' Engineers (3-2) swept all three doubles flights highlighted by an 8-1 victory from sophomores Brandon Benedict and Georges Adam. Rose-Hulman also won second and third doubles by scores of 8-4 and 8-5 respectively.

Benedict and Adam also won their singles matches. Benedict edged Ryan Hammer 6-3, 7-6(6) at first singles while Adam dispatched Ethan Caldwell 6-0, 6-2 in convincing fashion.

Freshman Cam Metzger improved to 3-1 on the season with a 6-1, 6-4 victory over Alex Hammer at third singles. Junior Matt Conrad won the only three-set match of the day 6-3, 6-7(2), 1-0(11-9) to improved to 2-2 at fourth singles on the season. Freshman Derek Benedict rounded out the Engineer victories winning the fifth singles flight 6-3, 6-0.

Franklin (1-5) won its lone point of the match at six singles as Ajrun Bhalla defeated freshman Tyler Haas 1-6, 6-2, 1-0(10-3).

The Engineers return to action at Mount St. Joseph on Sunday March 22.