FORT MYERS, Fla. – The FGCU women's tennis team (4-6, 0-1 ASUN) suffered a 5-2 setback to Iowa (8-4, 0-1 Big 10) Sunday afternoon at the FGCU Tennis Complex.

"Today was a really tough match, Iowa is a very solid team," head coach Courtney Vernon said. "They came out with really good energy but we did too. We just have to continue to move forward and stick to the plan. Like I keep telling the ladies, nothing is wasted out here and we're only going to build off experiences like today."

It was a close battle once doubles play began as the visitors eventually took the 1-0 lead heading into singles taking the top two courts with a pair of 6-3 decisions. On court No. 3, the tandem of Patricia Villar (Logrono, Spain/Bachillerato Santa Maria/Louisiana Monroe) and Sara Kelly (Naples, Fla./Florida Virtual) led 5-4 before the match would go mark as unfinished.

The Hawkeyes kept their momentum heading into singles action, claiming three-straight wins on courts No. 3, No. 2 and No. 6. Despite the match being already clinched by Iowa, the Eagles reeled off two consecutive wins. On court No. 5, Villar came away with a 6-2, 7-5 win over Michelle Bacalla, giving the senior her first dual match victory of the season. Soon after, Maja Ornberg (Kil, Sweden/De la Gardiegymnasiet, Lidkoping) rallied back after dropping her first set, going on to win her second set 6-2, and her third set 6-4.  Sofia Perez (Alajuela, Costa Rica/Florida Virtual School) was the last match to go final as the junior was narrowly edged 11-9 for the third set point. 

Singles competition
1. Maja Ornberg (FGCU) def. Elise van Heuvelen (Iowa) 2-6, 6-2, 6-4
2. Samantha Mannix (Iowa) def. Sara Kelly (FGCU) 6-4, 6-3
3. Sophie Clark (Iowa) def. Julia Ascúa (FGCU) 6-3, 6-2
4. Ashleigh Jacobs (Iowa) def. Sofia Perez (FGCU) 7-6, 0-6, 1-0 (11-9)
5. Patricia Villar (FGCU) def. Michelle Bacalla (Iowa) 6-2, 7-5
6. Adorabol Huckleby (Iowa) def. Madison Gallegos (FGCU) 6-3, 6-3

Order of finish: 3, 2, 6, 5, 1, 4

Doubles competition
1. Elise van Heuvelen/Samantha Mannix (Iowa) def. Julia Ascúa/Maja Ornberg (FGCU) 6-3
2. Sophie Clark/Ashleigh Jacobs (Iowa) def. Madison Gallegos/Sofia Perez (FGCU) 6-3.
3. Sara Kelly/Patricia Villar (FGCU) vs Adorabol Huckleby/Danielle Bauers (Iowa) 5-4 UF

Order of finish: 1,2

Up Next  
FGCU will welcome Chattanooga (7-3) at 10 am Wednesday at the FGCU Tennis Complex.

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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 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 65-48 overall record (.592) and 27-6 conference record (.827) in her six years at FGCU.