FORT MYERS, Fla. –The FGCU women's tennis team (2-4) was able to tie the dual at 1-1 after doubles play, but eventually #18 Tennessee (12-0) would clinch on court six as the Eagles would fall, 4-1, Sunday afternoon at the FGCU Tennis Complex.

"The ladies are learning to trust their game plan more and more," said head coach Courtney Vernon. "Tennessee is a solid team who fights and the more we commit to being challenged, it will allow us to grow and have success along with confidence in the process."

After the Lady Vols claimed the first two doubles on courts three and four, the paring of Laura Falceto Font (Zaragoza, Spain/El Pilar Maristas Zaragoza) and Julianna Curtis (West Des Moines, Iowa/Allendale Academy) were able to come up with a 6-3 decision. It was the first time this season the duo have paired up in a doubles match.

In singles playing at the No. 1 spot, Ornberg blanked her opponent is straight sets with a pair of 6-0 decisions to bring the Eagles back into the mix. Despite claiming the first victory, UT would go on to snag wins on courts three and four, putting the visitors in front 3-1.

Just as Julia Ascúa (Santa Fe, Argentina/Domingo G. Silva) and Bridget Forster (Boca Raton, Fla./Florida Virtual School) were up in their third-set battles, 4-1 and 5-4 respectively, UT's Tenika McGiffin clinched on court six over Patricia Villar (Logrono, Spain/Bachillerato Santa Maria/Louisiana Monroe) in a 7-6 tiebreaker. Despite leading, Ascúa and Forster's matches go down in the books as "unfinished".

In the Eagles' lone victory, Ornberg now moves to 4-2 in dual play this season.

COMPLETE RESULTS
DOUBLES RESULTS
1. Gabby Schuck/Johanna Silva (UT) def. Julia Ascúa /Maja Ornberg (FGCU) 7-5
2. Ariadna Riley/Kaitlin Staines (UT) def. Bridget Forster/Madison Gallegos (FGCU) 7-5
3. Laura Falceto Font/Julianna Curtis (FGCU) def. Tenika McGiffin/Elizabeth Profit (UT) 6-3

SINGLES RESULTS
1. Maja Ornberg (FGCU) def. Elizabeth Profit (UT) 6-0, 6-0
2. Julia Ascúa (FGCU) def. Ariadna Riley (UT) 6-4, 4-6, 4-1(Unfinished)
3. Johanna Silva (UT) def. Madison Gallegos (FGCU) 7-5, 6-1
4. Gabby Schuck (UT) def. Laura Falceto Font (FGCU) 6-4, 6-0
5. Bridget Forster (FGCU) def. Chelsea Sawyer (UT) 6-7 (5-7), 6-4, 5-4 (Unfinished)
6. Tenika McGiffin (UT) def. Patricia Villar (FGCU) 6-4, 7-6 (7-4)

Order of Finish: Doubles (3, 2, 1); Singles (1, 3, 4, 6)

UP NEXT
FGCU will remain at home hosting Western Michigan at 5 p.m. on Monday, Mar. 5, followed by Michigan State on Friday, Mar. 9 at 1 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 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 53-38 overall record (.582) and 21-5 conference record (.808) in her four years at FGCU.