PROVIDENCE, R.I. (2/6/11) – The Colgate men's tennis team began its 2011 dual season by splitting its first two matches after a win against Bryant and a loss to Brown on Saturday.

Early Saturday morning, the Raiders took a 6-1 loss to the Bears. The highlight of the day for Colgate came from Luke Gensburg as he won his first match of the season at the top spot. It took some work with the match going three sets, but Gensburg dominated the first and last set of the match. He earned the win by a 6-0, 3-6, 6-1 score.

Alec Goldstein also went three sets, but after winning the first set, 6-3, Brown's Mike Hill took the next two by scores of 6-0, 6-3. The Bears came up with two-set wins in all the other singles matches and swept the doubles play.

Later Saturday night, Colgate rebounded against Bryant with a 6-1 win of its own. After dropping a tough doubles points, the Raiders bounced back by sweeping all five singles matches.

"After dropping a heartbreaking doubles point and to come back and win all 6 singles shows the heart, maturity and character of this team," said head coach Bobby Pennington.

Gensburg got it started again with a win at the top spot in straight sets at 6-2, 6-0, to move to 2-0 on the year at No. 1. Berkowitz earned his first win as a Raider with a three-set victory. He took the first set at 6-3, then was forced into a third set by a close 7-6 score. Berkowitz came through in the final set with a 6-3 win. Goldstein made it three-straight wins for Colgate without dropping a game with a 6-0, 6-0 win.

Ruslan Goussiatnikov earned his first win of the year at the fourth spot with a straight-set win at 6-4, 7-6. Connor Fueille also won in two sets by taking the first set at 7-6 and sealed the deal with a 6-4 win in the second set. John Beam took home his first victory of the year at No. 6 to help Colgate sweep the singles with a three-set win. He went down in the first set at 6-3, but rebounded nicely with a 7-5 win in the second set and a pressure packed 10-7 win in the final set.

In doubles action, Phil Bernasek and Goussiatnikov lost a tough 9-8 match at the top spot, but Goldstein and Parker Lewis tied the battle for the doubles point with an 8-4 at No. 2. Unfortunately, the point went to the Bulldogs with Feuille and Gensburg falling in a close 8-6 match.

Colgate returns to Hamilton next Friday to face Duquesne in the home opener at 4 p.m., followed by matches against St. Bonaventure and the University of Rochester on the road on Saturday and Sunday.

Brown 6 Colgate 1
Doubles:
1.Soufiane Azargui/Brandon Burke def. Phil Bernasek/Ruslan Goussiatnikov 8-2
2. Sam Fife/ Charlie Posner def. Alec Goldstein/Parker Lewis 8-5
3. Andrew Yazmer/Thomas Deighton def. Luke Gensburg/Connor Feuille 8-2

Singles:
1. Brandon Burke lost to Luke Gensburg 6-0 3-6 6-1
2. Sam Fife def. Bobby Berkowitz 6-1 6-2
3. Mike Hill def. Alec Goldstein 3-6 6-0 6-3
4. Thomas Deighton def. Ruslan Goussiatnikov 6-2 6-0
5. Tim Klanke def. Connor Feuille 6-2 6-3
6. Soufiane Azargui def. John Beam 6-1 6-2

Colgate 6, Bryant 1
Doubles
1. Callahan and Gelman def. Bernasek and Goussiatnikov 9-8
2. Goldstein and Lewis def. Crowley and Hill 8-4
3. Panzilli and Huot def. Feuille and Gensburg 8-6

Singles
1. Gensburg def. Callahan 6-2, 6-0
2. Berkowitz def. Panzilli 6-3, 6-7, 6-3
3. Goldstein def. Crowley 6-0, 6-0
4. Goussiatnikov def. Gelman 6-4, 7-6
5. Feuille def. Hill 7-6, 6-4
6. Beam def. Huot 3-6, 7-5, 10-7