ORLANDO, Fla. – The FGCU women's tennis team dropped their first road match of the year against the University of Central Florida. The Eagles started off strong with an early doubles win, but could not muster much else during the afternoon as the fell by a score of 6-1.

"UCF competed better than us today," head coach Courtney Vernon said. "We must learn how to handle adversity and opportunities that we are faced with in competition and in those moments stick to the game plan. This takes courage. We will get back to work in preparation for Atlanta next week."

The duo of Elizabeth and Sarah Means (Wesley Chapel, Fla./Wiregrass Ranch HS) won the first doubles match of the afternoon against Sofia Baptista and Cortney Cesarini of UCF by a score of 6-1. The Knights went on to win the next two doubles events to take an early lead in the match.

The UCF pair of Caroline Eberhart and Kennan Johnson defeated Johanna Sterkel (Schwetzingen, Germany/Carl-Theodor-Schule HS) and Breana Stampfli (Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago/St. Joseph's Convent) by a 6-0 score while Monica Matias and Clare Mendell notched a 6-4 victory over Julianna Cuvrtis (Tampa, Fla./Allendale Academy) and Alex Landert (Naples, Fla./Seton Hall).

The only other Green and Blue victory came from Johanna Sterkel when she battled against Baptista in a singles match. Sterkel took the first set by a count of 6-3, but would lose the second set 3-6. The junior rallied to win the third set and match by a 10-7 tally.

UP NEXT
The Eagles return to the court on Friday, Jan. 30 when they head to Atlanta, Ga. to face Louisiana Tech in a 10 a.m. start. The Green and Blue will also face Georgia State and Middle Tennessee in Atlanta that weekend.

For complete coverage of FGCU women's tennis follow us on Twitter at @FGCU_WTEN and visit www.FGCUAthletics.com where full recaps and results will be available.

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.

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.

RESULTS:

SINGLES:

Caroline Eberhart (UCF) def. Sarah Means (FGCU) 6-2, 6-3
Cortney Cesarini (UCF) def. Breana Stampfli (FGCU) 6-3, 6-2
Kennan Johnson (UCF) def. Elizabeth Means (FGCU) 6-0, 6-3
Johanna Sterkel (FGCU) def. Sofia Baptista (UCF) 6-3, 3-6, 1-0 (10-7)
Clare Mendell (UCF) def. Julianna Curtis (FGCU) 6-4, 6-2
Monica Matias (UCF) def. Candela Munoz Giron (FGCU) 6-0, 6-4

DOUBLES:

Elizabeth Means/Sarah Means (FGCU) def. Sofia Baptista/Cortney Cesarini (UCF) 6-1
Caroline Eberhart/Kennan Johnson (UCF) def. Johanna Sterkel/Breana Stampfli (FGCU) 6-0
Monica Matias/Clare Mendell (UCF) def. Julianna Curtis/Alex Landert (FGCU) 6-4