SANTA BARBARA, Calif. -The University of Hawai`i men's tennis team dropped their first dual meet on their current road trip today against the UC-Santa Barbara Gauchos, 4-3. Previously the Warriors, who are 10-9 this season, had won meets against Westmont, Cal Poly and Claremont this past weekend.

In opening doubles play, the Gauchos took matches on the No. 1 and No. 2 courts, giving them a 1-0 lead. On the No. 3 court the Warrior duo of Francisco Brignole and Reggie Moralejo beat Santa Barbara's Brotman/Leshinsky, 8-4. Brignole and Moralejo are 9-8 on the season.

On the singles courts, the Warriors earned decisive wins on the No. 3, 4 and 5 courts. The deciding match happened on the No. 1 court where Ryan Sceats split sets with Santa Barbara's Carlos Palencia. In the last set, Palencia outlasted Sceats and handily won, 6-4.

In more positive news, Francisco Brignole earned his fifth win in a row against Nicholas Brotman. Brignole's 5-win streak is his best on the season. He needs two more wins to top Reggie Moralejo's 6-win streak last month.

The Warriors next travel to Irvine where they will be participating in the UC-Irvine Anteater Classic this weekend. UH faces Southwest Missouri State in the opening meet, Thursday at 9:00AM.

RESULTS
UC Santa Barbara 4, Hawai`i 3

Doubles
1. Palencia/Schwindt (SB) def. Menolascino/Oda - 8-5
2. Anselme/Placek (SB) def. Sceats/Diepraam - 8-2
3. Brignole/Moralejo def. Brotman/Ilya Leshinsky (SB), 8-4

Singles
1. Carlos Palencia (SB) def. Ryan Sceats - 3-6, 6-2, 6-4
2. Mirco Schwindt (SB) def. Malino Oda - 6-1, 6-1
3. Justin Menolascino def. Alex Anselme (SB), 7-6, 6-4
4. Reggie Moralejo def. Mike Placek (SB), 6-3, 6-4
5. Francisco Brignole def. Nicholas Brotman (SB), 6-3, 6-1
6. Michael Frick (SB) def. Jarrod Diepraam - 6-3, 6-1

-uh-