Box Score FORT MYERS, Fla. - The Florida Gulf Coast University men's tennis team opened Atlantic Sun Conference play with a 5-2 loss to Stetson University Sunday. 

The Eagles struck first, claiming the doubles point at courts one and two. FGCU's top pairing of Hugo Magnusson and Jonathan Baron claimed a 6-4 victory in a contest that lasted 28 minutes. It took 49 minutes to decide the winner on court two, but FGCU's Guglielmo Stefanacci and Pablo Paternostro came out on top 7-6, winning the tiebreak 7-5. Stavros Hadjivarnava and Harry Michalowski also found themselves in a tiebreak on court three, but their match was left unfinished.

FGCU needed three of the six singles matches to claim victory, but Stetson answered the Eagles' doubles success early. The Hatters' Haris Eminefendic downed Paternostro 6-4, 6-0 at court four. Christian Kuehne gave the Hatters a 2-1 lead with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Baron at court two.

The Eagles got their first singles win courtesy of Magnusson at court one. The sophomore fell behind 5-2 in the opening set before taking four consecutive games. It went to a tiebreak, where Magnusson triumphed 9-7, claiming a 7-6 set win. The second frame was simpler for FGCU's All-ASUN performer a year ago. Magnusson won it 6-3 to draw the Eagles even at 2-2. 

Stetson retook the lead at court five. Xavier Sarda Marti defeated FGCU's Ninad Raut 6-4, 6-3. The Hatters then cliched the match with their fourth singles victory, which came at court three. Stefanacci raced to a 6-0 first set win, but Stetson's Lucas Olivier rallied for 6-3 victories in the second and third frames to give the Hatters an insurmountable advantage.

The Eagles (6-11, 0-1 ASUN) are back in action Tuesday against East Tennessee State at the FGCU Tennis Complex at 10 a.m., their final non-conference matchup of the regular season. The Green and Blue continue ASUN play at home against Queens University on March 21.