DELAND. Fla. – It came down to both team's top players in the end as the fourth-seeded FGCU women's tennis team (11-10) fell in the ASUN Championship final to second-seeded UNF (17-7), 4-3, Saturday afternoon, at the Mandy Stoll Tennis Center on the campus of Stetson University.

"Congratulations to UNF today, they gave us a tough battle and challenged us to the very end," said head coach Courtney Vernon. "I can't be more proud of the way our ladies competed over these last three matches. They never gave up and believed in each other all the way to the last point. It's a very special group, especially for the seniors who played their last matches today. I'm thankful for this team and everyone who has supported us all season." 

The Eagles found themselves trailing after doubles as UNF picked up courts Nos. 1 & 2 with 6-3 and 6-2 scores, respectively.

In singles play, the Ospreys built a 2-0 lead taking court No. 2 in straight sets. But FGCU's first point of the day would come from senior Julia Ascúa (Santa Fe, Argentina/Domingo G. Silva) as she defeated her opponent on court No. 3, 6-3, 6-0. Shortly after though, UNF regained its lead with a victory on Court No. 4.

Junior Bridget Forster (Boca Raton, Fla./Florida Virtual School) cut the Eagles deficit down to one, cruising away with a pair of 6-2 decisions on court No. 6. The drama soon began on court No. 5 where senior Patricia Villar (Logrono, Spain/Louisiana Monroe) battled back from a loss in the first set (4-6), winning her second set 7-6 (7-5 tiebreaker). During the second set, Villar was down 1-5 before mounting a tremendous comeback that forced a third set in which she won, 6-2.

With the match now tied 3-3, the championship point would come on the top court where junior Maja Ornberg (Kil, Sweden/De la Gardiegymnasiet, Lidkoping) fought back after being downed 7-5 in set one. She kept FGCU's chances alive claiming a thrilling 7-6 second set win (8-6 tiebreaker) but eventually was edged in the third set, 6-3.

The championship finals appearances was FGCU's fourth in the last five years.

Ornberg was the lone Eagle represented on the ASUN All-Tournament Team.

Singles competition
1. Rafaela Gomez (UNF) def. Maja Ornberg (FGCU) 7-5, 6-7, 6-3
2. Lucia Montano (UNF) def. Sara Kelly (FGCU) 6-2, 6-1
3. Julia Ascúa (FGCU) def. Ana Paula Melilo (UNF) 6-3, 6-0
4. Valentina Mariotto (UNF) def. Sofia Perez (FGCU) 6-1, 6-2
5. Patricia Villar (FGCU) def. Constanza Gorches (UNF) 4-6, 7-6, 6-2
6. Bridget Villar (FGCU) def. Florencia Rossi (UNF) 6-2, 6-2

Doubles competition
1. Constanza Gorches/Rafaela Gomez (UNF) def. Maja Ornberg/Julia Ascúa (FGCU) 6-3
2. Lucia Montano/Florencia Rossi (UNF) def. Patricia Villar/Sara Kelly (FGCU) 6-2
3. Ana Paula Melilo/Valentina Mariotto (UNF) vs. Sofia Perez/Bridget Forster (FGCU) 4-3, unfinished

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

FOLLOW ALONG
For up-to-date coverage of FGCU women's tennis, follow us on Twitter @FGCU_WTEN and visit www.FGCUAthletics.com where full recaps and results will be available.

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 59 ASUN All-Conference and All-Academic honors, including 2014, 2016 and 2017 ASUN Freshman of the Year as well as the 2016, 2017 and 2019 Scholar-Athlete of the Year and the 2018 Player of the Year. Vernon has led the Green and Blue to a 72-52 overall record (.582) and 31-8 conference record (.795) in her six years at FGCU.

#FEEDFGCU
FGCU Athletics sponsors events in November and April 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.

ABOUT FGCU
FGCU teams have combined to win an incredible 76 conference regular season and tournament titles in just 11+ seasons at the Division-I level. Additionally, in just seven+ seasons of D-I postseason eligibility, the Eagles have had a combined 35 teams or individuals compete in NCAA championships. Seven FGCU programs have earned a top-25 national ranking in their respective sport – including both men's and women's soccer again in 2018. In 2016-17, the Green and Blue posted a department-best 6th-place finish in the DI-AAA Learfield Directors' Cup and top-100 showing nationally, ahead of several Power-5 and FBS institutions. FGCU also collectively earned a record 3.35 GPA in the classroom in the Spring, 2018 and had an ASUN Conference and State of Florida best five teams earn the NCAA's Public Recognition Award for their Academic Progress Rate in their sport.  The Eagles also served an all-time high 7,200 volunteer hours – being recognized as one of two runner-ups for the inaugural NACDA Community Service Award presented by the Fiesta Bowl.