CORAL GABLES, Fla. – The FGCU women's tennis team competed only on Friday this past weekend at the Miami Invite due to rain.

"I'm grateful and thankful to have opened up our fall season this past weekend," said head coach Courtney Vernon. "Despite the weather only allowing us to compete Friday, I'm glad the ladies got to face some great competition."

The Eagles collected a trio of singles wins Friday morning provided by Sara Kelly, Lourdes Ramalle, and Alba Retortillo. Kelly (Naples, Fla./ Florida Virtual School) defeated LSU's Luba Vasilyuk via a third-set tiebreaker (3-6, 7-5, 1-0 (10-8)) as Ramalle (Buenos Aires, Argentina/Portland) came away with a straight-set win over Georgia State's Mara Pop (6-1, 6-4). Retortillo (Leon,Spain/ La Anunciata) bounced FAU's Harris Caldwell in straight sets (6-2, 6-4) for her first collegiate victory.

On the doubles side, Ramalle teamed up with freshman Ida Ferding (Vasteras, Sweden/Akademi Bastad Gymnasium) for a 7-6 (8-6) win over Georgia State's Denisa Gheorghe and Damira Muminovic.

Up Next
FGCU returns to action at home on Oct. 4-6 as the Eagles will host the Bedford Cup. Teams attending are to be confirmed, please stay tuned to FGCUAthletics.com for updates.

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 (entering 7th season) 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).

#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 78 conference regular season and tournament titles in just 12 seasons at the Division-I level. Additionally, in just eight seasons of D-I postseason eligibility, the Eagles have had a combined 36 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 sixth-place finish in the DI-AAA Learfield Directors' Cup and top-100 showing nationally, ahead of several Power-5 and FBS institutions. In 2018-19, the Eagles had an ASUN and state of Florida best seven teams earn the NCAA's Public Recognition Award for their Academic Progress Rate in their sport. FGCU also collectively earned a record 3.35 GPA in the classroom in the spring 2018 semester and has outperformed the general University undergraduate population for twenty consecutive semesters.  The Eagles also served an all-time high 7,200 volunteer hours in 2017 – being recognized as one of two runners-up for the inaugural NACDA Community Service Award presented by the Fiesta Bowl.