FORT MYERS, Fla. – The FGCU women's tennis team dropped its first dual match of the season by a 4-0 margin to in-state rival FIU on Saturday afternoon at the FGCU Tennis Complex. The match, which was originally scheduled to begin at 1 p.m., was suspended until 4 p.m. due to excessive wind.
 
"We were very challenged today and have a lot of room for growth," said FGCU head coach Courtney Vernon. "We'll take a lot from this loss and start working to improve. Nothing will be wasted, as long as we keep out thoughts focused on growing every time we compete."
 
The Eagles got off to a fast start in doubles play as they held a lead of at least 1-0 in all three matches. However, a pair of FIU tandems were able to battle back to win their respective matches and claim the point for the Panthers. FIU's No. 1 team of Maryna Veksler and Nina Nagode defeated FGCU's Elizabeth Means (Washington, D.C./Wiregrass Ranch HS) and Julia Ascúa (Santa Fe, Argentina/Domingo G. Silva), 6-3, while the Panthers' No. 2 duo of Carlotta Orlando and Andrea Lazaro downed Julianna Curtis (Tampa, Fla./Allendale Academy) and Joselyn Treyes Albarracin (Guayaquil, Ecuador/InterAmerican Academy) by a 6-4 margin. The No. 3 doubles match between Laura Falceto Font (Zaragoza, Spain/El Pilar Maristas Zaragoza) and Breana Stampfli (Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago/St. Joseph's Convent) of FGCU and Nerma Caluk and Katilin Brozovich of FIU was not completed.
 
In singles play, the Green and Blue weren't able to overcome early deficits as they fell behind on all six courts. Ascúa was defeated by Nagode after dropping identical sets of 6-2 in No. 2 singles, while Curtis and Treyes Albarracin mounted late comebacks but ultimately lost to FIU's Lazaro and Caluk by respective scores of 6-0, 6-4 in No. 5 singles and 6-0, 6-3 in No. 4 singles. FGCU battled back to within a point of the Panthers in the second set of a pair of remaining singles matches, but it was too late as FIU already claimed the match-clinching fourth point. The final three matches between Veksler and Stampfli in No. 1 singles, Orlando and Means in No. 3 singles, and Brozovich and Falceto Font in No. 6 singles were not completed.
 
SATURDAY RESULTS
Doubles
No. 1 Doubles: Veksler/Nagode (FIU) def. Means/Ascúa (FGCU): 6-3
No. 2 Doubles: Orlando/Lazaro (FIU) def. Curtis/Treyes Albarracin (FGCU): 6-4
No. 3 Doubles: Caluk/Brozovich (FIU) vs. Falceto Font/Stampfli (FGCU): DNF
 
Singles
No. 2 Singles: Nagode (FIU) def. Ascúa (FGCU): 6-2, 6-2
No. 5 Singles: Lazaro (FIU) def. Curtis (FGCU): 6-0, 6-4
No. 4 Singles: Caluk (FIU) def. Treyes Albarracin (FGCU): 6-0, 6-3
No. 1 Singles: Veksler (FIU) vs. Stampfli (FGCU): DNF
No. 3 Singles: Orlando (FIU) vs. Means (FGCU): DNF
No. 6 Singles: Brozovich (FIU) vs. Falceto Font (FGCU): DNF

UP NEXT
The Eagles will continue with the dual season and hit the road for this first time this spring as they have a match versus in-state rival USF scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 29 at 1 p.m. in Tampa, Fla.
 
FOLLOW ALONG
For up-to-date coverage of FGCU women's tennis, follow us on Twitter @FGCU_WTEN and visit www.FGCUAthletics.com where full recaps and results will be available.
 
HEAD COACH COURTNEY VERNON
FGCU's women's tennis team is led by Courtney Vernon, whose second season under the helm saw the Eagles finish third in the conference standings with the program's first-ever appearance in the Atlantic Sun Championship Final. She has produced nine A-Sun All-Conference selections and the 2014 A-Sun Freshman of the Year. She has led the Green and Blue to a 24-21 overall record (.533) and 10-4 conference record (.714) in her two years at FGCU.
 
SUPPORT THE CAUSE 
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.