FORT MYERS, Fla. – The FGCU women's tennis team (2-2) opened the month of February in stellar fashion, claiming a 5-2 victory over Middle Tennessee (1-4) Friday afternoon at the FGCU Tennis Complex.

"Today we had the opportunity to grow and we are thankful for that," said head coach Courtney Vernon. "Middle Tennessee is a solid team. The bottom line and the most important thing for this team are that we control what we can control and continue to hold each other to a high standard like the strong confident players they are. I am especially proud of our freshman Ariana, who led the way in cheering behind the courts. We're looking forward to competing again tomorrow." 

FGCU got off to a quick start, thanks to a pair of doubles wins, starting on the premier court. Maja Ornberg (Kil, Sweden/De la Gardiegymnasiet, Lidkoping) and Julia Ascúa (Santa Fe, Argentina/Domingo G. Silva) moved to 3-1 on the year courtesy of a 6-3 triumph. Minutes later, the tandem of Sofia Perez (Alajuela, Costa Rica/Florida Virtual School) and Madison Gallegos (Denver, Colo./Colorado Connections Academy) clinched the doubles point on court No. 2 with a 6-4 victory. Court No. 3 involving Patricia Villar (Logrono, Spain/Bachillerato Santa Maria/Louisiana Monroe) and Sara Kelly (Naples, Fla./Florida Virtual) would be marked as unfinished at 5-5.

The Eagles continued to build their lead in singles action as Ascúa garnered the first match on court No. 3 in straight sets (6-2, 6-2). Kelly was right behind her teammate as the Naples native cruised to a 6-1, 6-1 victory on court No. 2. Ahead 3-0, Perez officially sealed the match for the Green and Blue, registering a 6-4, 6-1 win on court No. 4. Playing on the top court all season, Ornberg took down her counterpart 6-4, 6-1 to give the Eagles their fifth point of the afternoon. FGCU would fall on the final remaining courts as each of them were decided in a close third-set tiebreaker.

UP NEXT  
FGCU is back on the courts tomorrow morning at 11 am taking on cross-state foe FAU.

Singles competition
1. Maja Ornberg (FGCU) def. Costanza Magazzini (MT) 6-4, 6-1
2. Sara Kelly (FGCU) def. Kim Kermet (MT) 6-1, 6-1
3. Julia Ascúa (FGCU) def. Lidia Burrows (MT) 6-2, 6-2
4. Sofia Perez (FGCU) def. Lee Barnard (MT) 6-3, 6-1
5. Luisa Zirilli (MT) def. Laura Falceto-Font (FGCU) 6-3, 3-6, 11-9
6. Marta Peris Herrero (MT) def. Madison Gallegos (FGCU) 3-6, 6-3, 10-7

Doubles competition
1. Julia Ascúa / Maja Ornberg (FGCU) def. Luisa Zirilli/Kim Kermet (MT) 6-3
2. Madison Gallegos / Sofia Perez (FGCU) def. Costanza Magazzini/Marta Peris Herrero (MT) 6-4
3. Sara Kelly /Patricia Villar (FGCU) vs. Lee Barnard/Lidia Burrows (MT) 5-5, unfinished

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HEAD COACH COURTNEY VERNON
FGCU's women's tennis team is led by three-time ASUN Coach of the Year Courtney Vernon, who led the Eagles to back-to-back ASUN regular-season crowns in her fifth season in 2018. She has mentored her student-athletes into earning 56 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 and the 2018 Player of the Year. Vernon has led the Green and Blue to a 63-44 overall record (.586) and 27-5 conference record (.827) in her six years at FGCU.