Coach Jack Barnaby's Varsity tennis team dropped its first match of the season Saturday afternoon at Divinity Field to a spotty team of graduates by a score of 7 to 4.

The winning margin for the graduates was provided by the potent combine of Rodman and Rowbotham, New England doubles champions, who took the first two singles matches and the first doubles.

Rodman defeated Jenkins 6-3, 6-1 in the first singles match while Rowbotham defeated Peabody in the second singles in a hard-fought three set encounter 1-6, 7-5, 6-2. Both matches were closer than the scores indicate, featured by prolonged rallies.

Orme Wilson, playing in number three position, took the first point for the Varsity as he defeated Peeler in straight sets 6-14, 6-4. The graduates, however, quickly countered this by taking the next three singles. Sulloway outfought Captain Sonny Lyell 7-5, 6-3; Grier beat Russ Ellis 6-4, 6-3; and Klein overpowered Burton 9-7, 6-2.

In the seventh and last singles match, Howie Ezell, a comparative newcomer to the squad, defeated Bourne in two gruelling sets 8-6, 9-7.

In the doubles, Rodman and Rowbothem (G) beat Lyell and Peabody 7-5, 6-2; Peeler and Grior (G) defeated Wilson and Frothingham 6-1, 5-7, 7-5; Ellis and Jenkins (H) triumphed over Corish and Sulloway 10-8, 6-4; and Ezell and Sears (H) defeated Bourne and Klein 6-3, 9-7.