FORT MYERS, Fla. – The FGCU women's tennis team (8-7, 2-0 A-Sun) returns to the FGCU Tennis Complex and plays host to conference-newcomer NJIT (4-11, 0-2 A-Sun) and USC Upstate (0-16, 0-2 A-Sun) for its A-Sun home-opening matches this weekend. The Eagles will take on the Highlanders Thursday at 6 p.m. before turning around to face the Spartans Saturday at 2 p.m.
 
"We're excited to play on our home courts against NJIT and USC Upstate," said FGCU head coach Courtney Vernon. "The girls have been playing well and continue to grow with every match we play. We're focused and ready to go."
 
SCOUTING THE HIGHLANDERS
NJIT enters Thursday's match with a 4-11 overall record and 0-2 mark in conference play. The Highlanders started the spring season 3-1, but have dropped 10 of their last 11 matches, including a pair of A-Sun contests versus UNF and Stetson last weekend.
 
The A-Sun newcomers have posted a cumulative record of 31-59 in singles play, led by Alba Rosas Garcia and Rafaella Sampaio's team-leading seven wins. In doubles competition, the Highlanders are 9-32 and have been paced by the duo of Sampaio and Amanda Helminsky in the No. 2 position.
 
In the only ever previous meeting between the two programs during the 2008-09 season, FGCU claimed a 6-0 win against NJIT.
 
SCOUTING THE SPARTANS
USC Upstate comes into Saturday's dual winless so far this season with a 0-2 record in the A-Sun. Most recently, the Spartans dropped a pair of matches against Stetson and UNF during the opening weekend of conference play before dropping a 6-1 decision to Presbyterian Tuesday afternoon.
 
In singles play, Anna Zoske leads the way with a team-high five wins out of the No. 1 position. Additionally, Zoske has teamed up with Filippa Ericson to post a 5-3 record in doubles competition, where the Spartans are 11-32 as a team.
 
USC Upstate holds a 3-5 advantage in the all-time series between the A-Sun mainstays. However, FGCU has won each of the last two and three of the last four contests against the Spartans.
 
LAST TIME OUT
The FGCU women's tennis team overcame more rainy conditions and concluded a successful conference-opening weekend with a dominant performance against Kennesaw State as they defeated the Owls, 7-0, Saturday afternoon.
 
Afternoon showers postponed the match for nearly five hours after the Eagles claimed the doubles point, and FGCU returned when play resumed to win all six singles matches.
 
With the win, FGCU not only improved to 8-2 all-time against Kennesaw State, but also matched last season's regular-season win total (eight) as the Eagles are currently riding a three-match win streak.
 
PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
FGCU has earned a pair of A-Sun Women's Tennis Player of the Week awards this season after Julia Ascúa (Santa Fe, Argentina/Domingo G. Silva) most recently took home the recognition Wednesday afternoon. The freshman went a perfect 4-0 in doubles and singles play to help the Green and Blue to a 2-0 start in conference play and has now won five straight singles matches and three consecutive matches in doubles play.
 
Earlier this season, Breana Stampfli (Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago/St. Joseph's Convent) received the recognition following her match-clinching performance in the program's first-ever win against in-state rival UCF. After dropping the first set with the dual match tied 3-3, Stampfli defeated UCF's Caroline Eberhart in the final two sets to ultimately claim FGCU's 4-3 win with a 4-6, 6-2, 6-2 victory in the No. 1 position.
 
UP NEXT
With only two regular-season matches remaining, FGCU hits the road for an in-state showdown with defending conference champion UNF Thursday, April 7 at 10 a.m. in Jacksonville, Fla. In 2015, the Ospreys ended the Eagles season with a 4-1 defeat in the program's first-ever A-Sun Championship Final. FGCU will then return to Fort Myers to host Stetson in the regular-season finale Saturday, April 9 at 5 p.m.
 
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 32-27 overall record (.542) and 12-4 conference record (.750) 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.