Box Score FORT MYERS, Fla. – The FGCU men's tennis team (5-8) earned a quality 4-3 win over Illinois State (9-5) Saturday night, halting a mini two-match losing streak and bouncing back with a solid performance after a close loss on Friday.
 
The Eagles started the contest by claiming the doubles point for the third-straight match and battled in singles until the second-to-last match on the courts decided the victorious team when Mateo Ruiz secured a three-set win out of the No. 5 position.
 
"We've got a tough schedule this year, so we're not having any pushover matches," FGCU head coach CJ Weber said. "We've lost some close matches already this season, but we've tried to just not allow that to affect us and who we are. I was proud of the guys to come through after a tough loss yesterday."
 
Ezequiel Cerrini and Ruiz (Bucaramanga, Colombia/Oklahoma State) closed out the doubles point for the Green and Blue with a 6-3 win, and Austin Bates and Felipe Ramirez cruised in their doubles match to an equally-impressive 6-3 triumph. Oliver Landert and Marcelo Tebet (Londrina, Brazil/Colégio Anglo Americano) had match point at 5-3, but did not finish.
 
Illinois State earned the first singles point to even the match at 1-1, but Javier Fernandez (Ibiza, Spain/IES CTEIB) put the Eagles right back in front with a straight-set win on Court 6 over Manuel Bernhard, 7-5, 6-3.
 
The Redbirds knotted the match again, this time at 2-2, following a Court 3 victory, but Cerrini (Sunny Isles Beach, Fla./Homeschool) was able to get a much-needed win for both himself and his team as he defeated Egehan Sertkaya, 6-4, 7-6, at the No. 4 slot to put the Green and Blue in front with only two matches remaining.
 
The clincher came off the racket of Ruiz, who went back-and-forth with Pol Botifoll Ruis for three sets, 6-2, 2-6, 6-2, to secure the winning point for the Eagles on Court 5.
 
Landert (Naples, Fla./Florida Virtual School/Florida) also went the distance at No. 6, but came up short in the third set.
 
FGCU will look to keep the momentum going when the Eagles host Princeton next Sunday, Mar. 25, at 5 p.m.
 
Doubles Results
Oliver Landert/Marcelo Tebet vs. Igor kolaric/Christopher Greve: 5-3 (DNF)
Ezequiel Cerrini/Mateo Ruiz def. Andreas Boers/Pol Botifoll Ruis: 6-4
Austin Bates/Felipe Ramirez def. Egehan Sertkaya/Cameron Petersen: 6-3
  
Singles Results
1) Igor Kolaric def. Felipe Ramirez: 2-6, 0-6
2) Christopher Greve def. Oliver Landert: 2-6, 7-6, 7-5
3) Andreas Boers def. Marcelo Tebet: 7-6, 6-3
4) Ezequiel Cerrini def. Egehan Sertkaya: 6-4, 7-6
5) Mateo Ruiz def. Pol Botifoll Ruis: 6-2, 2-6, 6-2
6) Javier Fernandez def. Manuel Bernhard: 7-5, 6-3
 
Order of Finish: Doubles (2, 3); Singles (1, 6, 3, 4, 5, 2)
 
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 78-64 (.549) overall record and a 29-15 (.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. FGCU again won the ASUN Championship in 2017, advancing to its second NCAA Tournament.
 
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.