ATLANTA – Facing top opponents from around the Southeast, the FGCU women's tennis team has closed out day one of the ITA Southeastern Regional Championships. Picking up the Eagles sole win was Julianna Curtis playing in the B singles draw.
 
"Today we did not handle adversity well," head coach Courtney Vernon said. "Tomorrow we will have the opportunity to grow from what went on today and we will have a choice in how we handle challenging moments in competition. During every game we have a choice on how we choose to handle pressure, and that is the area we need to focus on improving."
 
The opening day began with play in the main doubles draw where Sarah Means (Wesley Chapel, Fla./Wiregrass Ranch HS) and Elizabeth Means (Wesley Chapel, Fla./Wiregrass Ranch HS) faced UNF's Marina Cunningham and Taylor Hollander. The sisters remained on tempo with the pair of Ospreys until the final few games, but in the end the duo from UNF found victory a close 8-6.
 
The day progressed into singles play where two FGCU players competed in the main draw and two played the B draw. Finding victory against FAU's Alexa Ricci in B singles was Curtis (Tampa, Fla./Allendale Academy). After dropping the opening frame, 1-6, Curtis turned her game around and controlled play in the final two sets, winning them, 6-2 and 6-3.
 
Falling in the main draw were Sarah Means and Breana Stampfli (Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago/St. Joseph's Convent). Stampfli took her opponent, Stetson's Arijana Korac, through three sets, but ultimately couldn't pull out the win, falling, 0-6, 6-4, 6-2. Facing Florida's Peggy Porter, Sarah Means dropped, 6-0, 6-3.
 
The Eagles will return tomorrow at 8 a.m. for day two with Curtis still alive in the B singles draw while the others will begin consolation play.
 
For complete coverage of FGCU women's tennis at the ITA Southeast Regional Championships follow us on Twitter at @FGCU_WTEN and visit www.FGCUAthletics.com where full recaps and results will be available at the end of each day.
 
FGCU is led by Courtney Vernon, whose inaugural campaign saw the Eagles finish third in the conference standings with a Division-I best 14 wins overall in 2013-14. She has produced five A-Sun All-Conference selections and the 2014 Freshman of the Year.
 
FRIDAY RESULTS
Main Doubles Round of 32
Cunningham/Hollander (UNF) def. Means/Means (FGCU) – 8-6
 
Main Singles Round of 64
Arijana Korac (Stetson) def. Breana Stampfli (FGCU) – 0-6, 6-4, 6-2
Peggy Porter (UF) def. Sarah Means (FGCU) – 6-0, 6-3
 
B Singles Round of 32
Alexa Ricci (FAU) def. Julianna Curtis (FGCU) – 1-6, 6-2, 6-3
Michele Valdez (UNF) def. Elizabeth Means (FGCU) – 6-3, 6-2
 
 
TOURNAMENT FORMAT
No-ad scoring will be in place for both singles and doubles. In doubles competition, matches prior to the semifinals will consist of an 8-game pro set (tiebreak at 7-all), with the semifinals and finals doubles matches consisting of two out of three sets (to 6) with a match tiebreak in lieu of the third set.
 
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS 

Saturday, October 18th (8:00 a.m. start)
Main Doubles – Quarterfinal
B Doubles – Quarterfinals
Main Singles Consolation – Round of 32
Main Singles – Round of 32
Main Singles Consolation – Round of 16
Main Singles – Round of 16

Sunday, October 19th (8:00 a.m. start)
Main Singles – Quarterfinals
Main Singles Consolation – Quarterfinals
B Singles – Quarterfinals
Main Doubles – Semifinals* (If there is overlap, this will move to the end of the day)  
Main Singles – Semifinals
Main Singles Consolation – Semifinals
B Singles – Semifinals
B Doubles – Semifinals

Monday, October 20th (9:00 a.m. start)
Main Singles - Finals
Main Singles Consolation – Finals
Main Doubles – Finals
B Singles – Finals
B Doubles – Finals 
 
FGCU Athletics sponsors events throughout the year to benefit the FGCU Campus Food Pantry (www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry) and the Harry Chapin Food Bank (www.harrychapinfoodbank.org), FGCU Athletics' charities of choice. For more information, including how to make a contribution, please visit www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry and utilize the hashtag #FeedFGCU to help raise awareness.