EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (blugolds.com) — The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire men's tennis team dropped its home opener 7-2 against Carthage College on Sunday at the John & Fay Menard YMCA Tennis Center. The Blugolds won one match each in singles and doubles against the Firebirds.

Ethan Wurtzel (Sr. - Menomonie, Wis.) earned a pair of victories to lead the Blugolds. He prevailed at No. 6 singles, 6-1, 6-2, for the Blugolds' sole win in the flight. He also teamed up with Demetri Bush (Sr. - Edina, Minn./Duluth Marshall) to win the No. 2 doubles match 8-7 (7-3).

Carthage won the other five singles matches in straight sets. Bush fell by narrow margins at No. 2 singles, 7-5, 6-4. Colin Chapman (Jr. - Green Bay, Wis./Southwest) fell in a similar vein, dropping the No. 5 singles match by a margin of 6-3, 6-4.

The Blugolds return to action on Saturday, February 10. They visit Gustavus Adolphus College, with matches slated to begin at 8:30 a.m. in St. Peter, Minnesota, at Swanson Tennis Center.