The momentum from solid doubles play wasn't enough to carry the men's tennis team to a win in its season opener against Bentley College on Wednesday, as a rainy afternoon forced the competition indoors and the Judges fell to their cross-town rival 3-4 in its first game of the season. It was also the Judges' first game without five of last season's top seven players, including No. 1 singles star and UAA MVP Sam Jonas '07, who is out with a shoulder injury.The sound of lightning-fast serves ricocheting off the rubber courts in Gosman drew most Brandeis fans in attendance to the center court to watch Mike Vulfovich '07 and Scott Schulman '09 win the No. 1 doubles match eight games to six. The surface of the indoor courts caused some trouble for players, speeding up the ball and sending it bouncing in unpredictable directions.

"You almost have to be swinging before the ball bounces to get a good hit on it," Scott Feinberg '08 said.

But Vulfovich made good use of the speed. With his blue bandanna and curly ponytail setting him apart from his more clean-cut opponents, Vulfovich served several aces throughout the match.

"[Schulman] played a little nervous on returns at first," Vulfovich said. "I need him to pick off floaters and put it away. Soon enough he's gonna be ripping at people's feet."

Hart Comess-Daniels '06 and Robert Friedman '06 won the No. 2 doubles match 8-3 to secure the doubles point for Brandeis before Derek Tesser '09 and Adam Sher '07 dropped their match in the No. 3 doubles spot.

Singles play was not as kind to the Judges. Bentley sophomore Greg Avolo topped Vulfovich in the No. 1 singles spot in back-to-back sets and Falcons Greg Maloomian beat Schulman in back-to-back sets.

An intense point late in the first set sparked Avola's comeback. Vulfovich was ahead 9-8 and after a long volley, Avola hit a backhand return close to the line.

"I was thinking 'it's out, it's out,' but I went for it anyway," Vulfovich said.

Vulfovich got a late hit on the ball as it crossed the line, putting Avola back in the match. Avola scored the next two points to secure the set.

"[The point] gave [Avola] a lot of momentum, and he carried into the second set," Vulfovich said. "That point will haunt me for a long time."

Friedman took care of business at the No. 3 singles spot, winning 6-0, 6-3. Adam Sher '07 also posted a win at the No. 4 singles spot, easily winning two sets 6-2.

"Both [Friedman] and [Sher] did a great job of keeping the pressure on Bentley all day long," coach Ben Lamanna said.

Although pleased with their doubles, the Judges said they left the match disappointed.

"It was a winnable match," Lamanna said. "[It's in] matches like these we can learn a whole lot about ourselves as individuals and as a team. And we did."

The Judges have until Sept. 27 to work on their singles play, when they will play their next match against visiting Springfield College at 3 p.m.