ORLANDO - The FGCU men's tennis team (3-5, 1-0 ASUN) was swept 7-0 by No. 36 Penn State (7-4, 0-1 Big 10) Wednesday afternoon at the USTA National Campus Collegiate Series.

According to its website, the USTA National Campus Collegiate Series began in 2018 to provide schools a way to compete in a high-intensity dual-match in a memorable setting. The match experience is highlighted by music, a PA announcer, scoreboards, live streaming, chair umpires and more.

"Today, we were not mentally or physically prepared for this match and that's all on me," head coach CJ Weber said. "I take full credit for this loss. Penn State did what they were supposed to do, played well, competed well and got the result they deserved. We will put this behind us and move on."

Mateo Ruiz (Bucaramanga, Colombia/Oklahoma State) and Felipe Escobar (Pereira, Colombia/Liceo Frances de Pereira/TCU) battled close against the No. 4 ranked doubles team in the country, Constant De La Bassetiere and Gabriel Nemeth, finishing with a 6-4 loss.

The Nittany Lions claimed victories on courts one and two to earn the doubles point. The match at the third court featuring duo Marcelo Tebet (Londrina, Brazil/Colégio Anglo Americano) and Felipe Ramirez (Armenia, Colombia/Florida Virtual School) was tied when the doubles point was decided.

Penn State, who has two players individually ranked in the ITA Top 125, secured all six points available during singles play. At court No. 1, Juan Montes (Pereira, Colombia) fell in a straight-set match to No. 101 De La Bassetiere. Ramirez won the opening set 6-1 against No. 110 Christian Lakoseljac before falling 10-7 in third-set super tiebreaker on court No. 2.

This was the FGCU men's tennis team's first match against a ranked opponent this season.

Results
Singles competition
1. #101 De La Bassetiere, C. (PSU) def. Juan Montes (FGCU) 6-0, 6-2
2. #110 Lakoseljac, C. (PSU) def. Felipe Ramirez (FGCU) 1-6, 6-4, 1-0 (10-7)
3. Antonopoulus, C. (PSU) def. Felipe Escobar (FGCU) 6-1, 6-2
4. Nemeth, G. (PSU) def. Feliksas Sakalauskas  (FGCU) 6-2, 6-4
5. Lieb, B. (PSU) def. Marcelo Tebet (FGCU) 7-6 (7-1), 6-3
6. Nickerson, J. (PSU) def. Pedro Maciel (FGCU) 6-0, 6-1

Doubles competition
1. #7 De La Bassetiere, C./Nemeth, G. (PSU) def. Mateo Ruiz/Felipe Escobar (FGCU) 6-4
2. Galush, M./Lieb, B. (PSU) def. Juan Montes/Feliksas Sakalauskas (FGCU) 6-1
3. Marcelo Tebet/Felipe Ramirez (FGCU) vs. Lakoseljac, C./Antonopoulus, C. (PSU) 5-5, unfinished

Up Next 
The Eagles will return to the FGCU Tennis Complex this weekend as they begin a seven-match home slate. The Green and Blue will host VCU at 2 p.m. on Friday, March 8 and take on George Washington at noon on Sunday, March 10.

FOLLOW ALONG
For complete coverage of FGCU men's tennis follow us on Twitter & Instagram @FGCU_MTEN and visit www.FGCUAthletics.com where full recaps and results will be available at the end of the competition.

CJ WEBER
FGCU is led by CJ Weber who has coached 29 ASUN All-Conference selections since joining the Green and Blue in 2011. In his seventh year, Weber has compiled an 86-73 (.540) overall record and a 32-17 (.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.