MIAMI, Fla. – After being rained out on Saturday, the FGCU women's tennis team (2-8) returned to action against FIU (4-5) on Monday afternoon at the FIU Tennis Courts and fell by a 6-1 count.

"This afternoon was a tough one for use," said head coach Courtney Vernon. "Johanna [Sterkel] played well to get us our only point, but overall we need to regroup and have some good practices before we face Notre Dame next week."

FGCU found themselves down 1-0 after dropping the No. 1 and No. 2 doubles slots. The sister duo of Sarah Means and Elizabeth Means (Wesley Chapel, Fla./Wiregrass Ranch HS) were in a tight match against Nina Nagode and Yana Koroleva in the No. 1 slot, but ultimately dropped it by a 7-5 score.

The Panthers came out to the singles matches with authority, claiming five out of six first sets in dominating fashion. The Eagles only claimed two set wins on the day which came in the only match victory of the afternoon. FIU showed prowess putting away the match in the No. 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6 slots.

Earning the lone point of the day for the Eagles was Johanna Sterkel (Schwetzingen, Germany/Carl-Theodor-Schule HS) in the No. 3 slot against FIU's Nerma Caluk 6-2, 6-3. Sterkel was engaged in a closely-contested match, but did not mess around and claimed the first two sets for the win. After the triumph, Sterkel improves her spring record to a team-leading 7-2.

FGCU will take a week off from the competition before continuing its gruesome schedule as the Eagles welcome ACC foe No. 26 Notre Dame under the lights of the FGCU Tennis Complex on Tuesday, Mar. 10, at a 5 p.m.

FINAL SCORE:

FIU 6 FGCU 1

SINGLES:

1. Yana Koroleva (FIU) def. Sarah Means (FGCU) 6-2, 6-1
2. Carlotta Orlando (FIU) def. Breana Stampfli (FGCU) 7-5, 6-2
3. Johanna Sterkel (FGCU) def. Nerma Caluk (FIU) 6-2, 6-3
4. Nina Nagode (FIU) def. Elizabeth Means (FGCU) 6-2, 6-4
5. Kaitlin Brozovich (FIU) def. Candela Munoz Giron (FGCU) 6-2, 3-2, retired
6. Valentina Briceno (FIU) def. Alex Landert (FGCU) 7-5, 6-1

DOUBLES:

1. Yana Koroleva/Nina Nagode (FIU) def. Sarah Means/Elizabeth Means (FGCU) 7-5
2. Nerma Caluk/Valentina Briceno (FIU) def. Johanna Sterkel/Julianna Curtis (FGCU) 6-4
3. Carlotta Orlando/Kaitlin Brozovich (FIU) vs. Breana Stampfli/Candela Munoz Giron (FGCU) unfinished

Order of finish: Doubles (1,2); Singles (1,6,5,4,3,2)

COURTNEY VERNON
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.

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