TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – After hitting the road for the first time this spring last weekend, the FGCU women's tennis team (2-1) returns to the FGCU Tennis Complex for a pair of dual matches against in-state foes this weekend. The Eagles host Florida A&M (0-4) Friday at 3 p.m., before taking on FAU (2-1) Sunday at 10 a.m.
 
This weekend will mark just the second time in program history FGCU and FAMU have met. In its previous match against the Rattlers during the 2010-11 season, FGCU emerged victorious, 6-1. On the other hand, the Eagles and Owls hold a long-standing rivalry that dates back to the 2001-02 season. Although FAU owns a 5-4 advantage in the all-time matchup, FGCU has owned the series of late by winning four of the last five meetings, including three straight, against the cross-state foe.
 
Admission to all FGCU tennis matches is free, and fans are encouraged to bring their own seating as bleacher space is limited.
 
SCOUTING FAMU
The Rattlers are off to a 0-4 start after facing some tough competition including South Carolina, fellow ASUN foe UNF, Wofford and UCF in the first few weeks of the season. Olivia Rolle is the Rattlers' top singles player and pairs with Dominique Henry to form FAMU's top tandem in doubles play. Both Rolle and Henry return from last year's team that advanced to the MEAC Championship Final.
 
SCOUTING FAU
FAU enters the weekend with a 2-1 mark and will also take on FAMU before heading to the gulf coast to take on FGCU Sunday morning. Thus far, the Owls have sandwiched a pair of wins against ASUN member Stetson and Bethune-Cookman with a hard-fought loss to San Jose State.
 
Led by Laura Fabrizi in the top position, the Owls are a combined 11-7 in dual matches this season with four players having a 2-1 record. In doubles action, FAU has posted a combined 7-1 record in dual matches, led by Fabrizi and Ana Gutierrez's 3-0 mark in the #1 position.

LAST TIME OUT
After falling in a 3-1 deficit in a neutral-site match against Southern Miss, FGCU won the final three matches of the afternoon and came from behind to defeat the Golden Eagles, 4-3, last Saturday afternoon.
 
The Green and Blue claimed the first point of the match by taking all three doubles bouts but subsequently dropped the first three singles matches as Southern Miss came within a point of winning the dual. However, with their backs against the wall, FGCU won the final three singles matchups to defeat the Golden Eagles in dramatic fashion.

Julia Ascúa (Santa Fe, Argentina/Domingo G. Silva) battled Rikeetha Pereira to a tiebreak in both sets but emerged victorious after outscoring her counterpart 7-2, 7-4 to win on court three. Later, Maja Ornberg (Kil, Sweden/ De la Gardiegymnasiet, Lidkoping) and Laura Falceto Font (Zaragoza, Spain/El Pilar Maristas Zaragoza) won a pair of three-set matches to give FGCU the win. Ornberg responded from a first-set loss to win the final two frames 6-3, 6-4 and even the match. Moments after, Falceto Font, who also dropped the first set, won the second frame in a tiebreak and nearly blanked Claudia Castella in the final set to seal the win.

PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
In two weeks of competition this spring, FGCU has taken home the same number of ASUN Women's Tennis Player of the Week awards, matching its total from all of last season. Breana Stampfli (Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago/St. Joseph's Convent) earned the recognition after securing the matching-clinching win against USF to start the dual season, marking the second time in her career she has earned the recognition. The senior captain also received the weekly award after clinching the team's first win in program history against UCF a season ago. Additionally, Falceto Font took home the weekly honor for the first time in her career after clinching FGCU's epic comeback against Southern Miss last weekend. The Eagles trailed 3-1 and won the final three singles matches to secure the win.
 
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 reining ASUN Co-Coach of the Year Courtney Vernon, whose third season under the helm saw the Eagles finish in a program-best second place in the regular season conference standings and advance to their second consecutive Atlantic Sun Championship Final. She has mentored her student-athletes into earning a total of 29 ASUN All-Conference honors, including the 2014 and 2016 A-Sun Freshman of the Year and 2016 Scholar-Athlete of the Year. Vernon has led the Green and Blue to a 38-30 overall record (.559) and 15-5 conference record (.750) in her three 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.