FORT MYERS, FL – The FGCU women's tennis team (5-6, 0-1 ASUN) downed Chattanooga (7-4), claiming a 6-1 match Wednesday afternoon at the FGCU Tennis Complex.

"The girl's energy today was great," said head coach Courtney Vernon. "I'm pleased with how they're supporting each other and we're looking forward to getting back to work tomorrow."

The Eagles jumped out ahead with dominant play in doubles action. On the No. 1 court, the pairing of Julia Ascúa (Santa Fe, Argentina/Domingo G. Silva) and Maja Ornberg (Kil, Sweden/De la Gardiegymnasiet, Lidkoping) yielded the first point but bounced back en route to a 6-2 win. Sofia Perez (Alajuela, Costa Rica/Florida Virtual School) and Laura Falceto-Font (Zaragoza, Spain/El Pilar Maristas Zaragoza) clinched the doubles point on court No. 2 securing a 6-4 win to give FGCU the 1-0 advantage. Sara Kelly (Naples, Fla./Florida Virtual) and Patricia Villar (Logrono, Spain/Bachillerato Santa Maria/Louisiana Monroe) gave FGCU the sweep as they produced a hard-fought 7-6 (11-9) victory on the final court.

FGCU carried its strong play onto singles competition claiming five of the six courts, four of which were decided in straight sets. Ornberg produced the first on the premier court with a 6-4, 6-0 decision, moving to 7-4 this season on the top court. Shortly after, Kelly downed her counterpart 6-2, 6-1 to give the Green and Blue a 3-0 lead. The clinching point arrived on court No. 5 where Falceto-Font registered a 6-4, 6-3 victory.

Freshman Ariana Chan (Guayaquil, Ecuador/Colegio Internacional Pert) made her first start this spring as she came back to win her second set 6-4, but dropped a hard-fought 14-12 tiebreaker for the third-set point. Ascúa gave the Eagles their sixth point and final straight-set win, coming out on top 8-6 in the tiebreaker (6-4, 7-6). 

Up Next
FGCU will stay home and welcome Liberty (5-5) for its second conference match of the season at 10 a.m. Sunday, Mar. 17. 

Singles competition
1. Maja Ornberg (FGCU) def. Polina Goloputova (UTC) 6-4, 6-0
2. Sara Kelly (FGCU) def. Delaney Edwards (UTC) 6-2, 6-1
3. Julia Ascúa (FGCU) def. Bogdona Zaporozhets (UTC) 6-4, 7-6 (8-6)
4. Patricia Villar (FGCU) def. Caroline Hall (UTC) 6-1, 6-2
5. Laura Falceto-Font (FGCU) def. Emma Van Hee (UTC) 6-4, 6-3
6. Annie Tarwater (UTC) def. Ariana Chan (FGCU) 6-1, 4-6, 1-0 (14-12)

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

Doubles competition
1. Julia Ascúa/Maja Ornberg (FGCU) def. Emma Van Hee/Delaney Edwards (UTC) 6-2
2. Laura Falceto-Font/Sofia Perez (FGCU) def. Annie Tarwater/Lilly Holmes (UTC) 6-4
3. Sara Kelly/Patricia Villar (FGCU) def. Caroline Hall/Bogdona Zaporozhets (UTC) 7-6 (11-9)

Order of finish: Doubles (1,2,3)

FOLLOW ALONG
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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 66-48 overall record (.592) and 27-6 conference record (.827) in her six years at FGCU.