BOCA RATON, Fla. – Trailing 3-0, the FGCU women's tennis team strung together four singles victories capped by Madison Gallegos' victory at No. 5 to defeat FAU 4-3 Wednesday afternoon. The dramatic victory gives FGCU (1-0) a win in its first dual of the season and gives the Eagles their fifth-straight win over the Owls (1-3) and sixth in seven seasons.

The last time FGCU erased a 3-0 deficit to win 4-3 was in 2011-12 when the Green and Blue defeated Stetson on April 7 in Fort Myers.

"These women are strong," said head coach Courtney Vernon. "I am very proud of the fight and focus everyone showed. They stuck to the plan even though we were down 3-0 and they were determined to come back. It was a neat experience to a part of. We are looking forward to getting home and getting back to work tomorrow."

After dropping the doubles point and the first two singles matches, Maja Ornberg (Kil, Sweden/De la Gardiegymnasiet, Lidkoping) started the comeback with a convincing 6-1, 6-3 victory at No. 2 singles. Not long after, Sofia Perez (Costa Rica/Florida Virtual School) produced another victory, hers at No. 3 over Kristen Thoms (6-4, 6-4), to bring FGCU to within 3-2 in the match.

With only two matches remaining, it was up to Gallegos (Denver, Colo./Colorado Connections Academy) and Patricia Villar (Logrono, Spain/Bachillerato Santa Maria/Louisiana Monroe) to complete the victory. While both had won their respective first sets, Gallegos was forced to play a third set by Jemi Aguilar. Villar meanwhile, fought off Jennifer Leib in a second set tiebreak to even up the match with a 6-3, 7-6 victory at No. 6.

With momentum in FGCU's favor, Gallegos eliminated any doubt with a strong 6-3 third-set win and a 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 victory overall over Aguilar, completing the improbable comeback.

Doubles swung the way of the Owls with wins at No. 2 and No. 1. Aliona Bolsova and Jemi Aguilar defeated Julia Ascúa (Santa Fe, Argentina/Domingo G. Silva) and Julianna Curtis (West Des Moines, Iowa/Allendale Academy) 6-4 at the top spot while Natalia Boltinskaya and Ja'Cara Gillis used a 6-2 decision over Ornberg and Gallegos. Villar teamed with Laura Falceto Font (Zaragoza, Spain/El Pilar Maristas Zaragoza) and claimed a 6-3 win at No. 3 in the final doubles match.

Ascua featured at the No. 1 spot for FGCU and faced the #2 player in the country in Bolsova and dropped a 6-2, 6-0 match that made it 2-0 in favor of FAU. Shortly after, Gillis defeated Falceto Font 6-0, 6-2 to make it 3-0, setting up the comeback.

UP NEXT
FGCU provides a Super Bowl appetizer as the Eagles take on FIU Sunday, Feb. 4 at 2 p.m.

COMPLETE RESULTS
Doubles Results
1) #2 Aliona Bolsova/Jemi Aguilar (FAU) def. Julia Ascúa/Julianna Curtis (FGCU) 6-4
2) Natalia Boltinskaya/Ja'Cara Gillis (FAU) def. Maja Ornberg/Madison Gallegos (FGCU) 6-2
3) Patricia Villar/Laura Falceto Font (FGCU) def. Jennifer Leib/Marisa Ruiz (FAU) 6-3
Singles Results
1) #2 Aliona Bolsova (FAU) def. Julia Ascúa (FGCU) 6-2, 6-0
2) Maja Ornberg (FGCU) def. Natalia Boltinskaya (FAU) 6-1, 6-3
3) Sofia Perez (FGCU) def. Kristen Thoms (FAU) 6-4, 6-4
4) Ja'Cara Gillis (FAU) def. Laura Falceto Font (FGCU) 6-0, 6-2
5) Madison Gallegos (FGCU) def. Jemi Aguilar (FAU) 6-2, 4-6, 6-3
6) Patricia Villar (FGCU) def. Jennifer Leib (FAU) 6-3, 7-6
Order of Finish: Doubles (2, 1, 3), Singles (1, 4, 2, 3, 6, 5)
 
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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 two-time ASUN Coach of the Year Courtney Vernon, whose fourth season under the helm saw the Eagles claim their first ASUN Championship in program history. She has mentored her student-athletes into earning 43 ASUN All-Conference and All-Academic honors, including the 2014, 2016 and 2017 ASUN Freshman of the Year as well as the 2016 and 2017 Scholar-Athlete of the Year. Vernon has led the Green and Blue to a 52-34 overall record (.600) and 21-5 conference record (.808) in her four 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.