Box Score TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The FGCU men's tennis team's season-opening road swing came to a close Sunday in Tallahassee with a 4-2 loss to ETSU. The Eagles (0-4) and Buccaneers (1-1) competed for nearly three-and-a-half hours, with multiple three-set matches and tiebreaks throughout.

"Today, again, was a step in the right direction," said head coach CJ Weber. "Obviously you want to get a win, but I'm not focused on our record right now. These two matches this weekend were good for us and I believe we're learning some valuable lessons to make us better throughout the season. I'm especially proud of Pipe (Ramirez) today. He played with an incredible amount of energy and passion throughout the entire doubles and singles competition."

The hard-fought, evenly matched dual began with the Buccaneers claiming the doubles point with victories at No. 2 and No. 3. The pairing of Javier Fernandez (Ibiza, Spain/IES CTEIB) and Austin Bates (Marietta, Ga./Pope HS) were the first to fall following a lengthy 6-4 loss to Miquel Este and Sergi Fontcuberta. After Oliver Landert (Naples, Fla./Florida Virtual School/Florida) and Felipe Ramirez (Armenia, Colombia/Florida Virtual School) took down Juan Lugo and Frazier Rengifo by the same score, Felipe Escobar (Pereira, Colombia/Liceo Frances de Pereira/TCU) and Mateo Ruiz (Bucaramanga, Colombia/Oklahoma State) dropped a tough tiebreaker at No. 2, conceding the doubles point.

As the match transitioned to singles, FGCU received a needed win from Escobar, his second of the season at No. 5. The junior defeated Tasei Miyamoto 6-1, 6-3 to pull FGCU even with ETSU early in the contest.

FGCU and ETSU split the next two matches as well, with Ramirez pulling out a three-set win over Robert Herrera 6-4, 0-6, 6-2 after Ruiz fell 6-4, 6-2 to Rengifo.

Losses by Ezequiel Cerrini (Sunny Isles Beach, Fla./Homeschool) and Landert clinched the match for ETSU, nearly three-and-a-half hours after the start of the match.

UP NEXT
FGCU will have nearly two weeks to prepare for its home opener Feb. 3 against Georgia Southern.

COMPLETE RESULTS
Doubles Results
1) Oliver Landert/Felipe Ramirez (FGCU) def. Juan Lugo/Frazier Rengifo (ETSU) 6-4
2) Robert Herrera/Tasei Miyamoto (ETSU) def. Felipe Escobar/Mateo Ruiz (FGCU) 7-6
3) Miguel Este/Sergi Fontbuberta (ETSU) def. Austin Bates/Javier Fernandez (FGCU) 6-4
Singles Results
1) Felipe Ramirez (FGCU) def. Robert Herrera (ETSU) 6-4, 0-6, 6-2
2) Juan Lugo (ETSU) def. Ezequiel Cerrini (FGCU) 6-1, 3-6, 6-3
3) Sergi Fontcuberta (ETSU) def. Oliver Landert (FGCU) 3-6, 6-2, 6-4
4) Frazier Rengifo (ETSU) def. Mateo Ruiz (FGCU) 6-4, 6-2
5) Felipe Escobar (FGCU) def. Tasei Miyamoto (ETSU) 6-1, 6-3
6) Javier Fernandez (FGCU) vs. Miguel Este (ETSU) 5-7, 6-3, 0-5 DNF
Order of Finish: Doubles (3, 1, 2), Singles (5, 4, 1, 2, 3)

CJ WEBER
FGCU is led by CJ Weber who has coached 26 ASUN All-Conference selections since joining the Green and Blue in 2011. In his sixth year, Weber has compiled a 74-60 (.552) overall record and a 29-14 (.694) record in ASUN play. In 2014-15, Weber guided the Eagles to their first-ever ASUN Championship and first-ever ASUN Regular Season title after a program-best 17 wins. In his third season, Weber led Jordi Vives to a No. 35 national ranking, a nation-leading 14-match unbeaten streak and the round of 32 in the 2014 NCAA Tournament - the program's first appearance. The Eagles completed consecutive perfect ASUN seasons in 2016 and back-to-back conference titles as well as a second-straight Coach of the Year honor for Weber.
 
FOLLOW ALONG
For complete coverage of FGCU men's tennis follow us on Twitter @FGCU_MTEN and visit www.FGCUAthletics.com where full recaps and results will be available at the end of each day of competition.
 
#FEEDFGCU
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.