MACON, GA – The FGCU women's tennis team (4-4) left Macon with a dominating 6-1 win over Mercer (3-6) Saturday afternoon.

"Today was another opportunity to grow. We need to continue to be clear about our mentality in how we want to play," said head coach Courtney Vernon. "We embrace everything that happens in a match and look at it as an opportunity to grow and enjoy what we find in the process."

FGCU took each of the doubles match to head into singles action with a 1-0 margin. On the top court, Sofia Perez (Alajuela, Costa Rica/Florida Virtual School) and Maja Ornberg (Kil, Sweden/De la Gardiegymnasiet, Lidkoping) came away with a 6-3 win while Julia Fisch (New York, NY/Arizona State) and Sara Kelly (Naples, FL/Florida Virtual School) produced another 6-3 victory to clinch it.

Transitioning into singles play, FGCU snagged five of the six courts. On court No. 1, Ornberg battled back to come out victorious in three sets (6-1, 0-6, 6-2). On court No. 3, Perez claimed a straight-set win (7-5, 6-3) as Ida Ferding (Vasteras, Sweden/Akademi Bastad Gymnasium) produced the match's second third-set victory (6-1, 0-6, 6-0).

Alba Retortillo (Leon,Spain/ La Anunciata) and Lourdes Ramalle (Buenos Aires, Argentina/Portland) claimed the final two matches on courts No. 5 and 6, respectively. 

Singles competition
1. Maja Ornberg (FGCU) def. Maeva Roquebert (MER) 6-1, 0-6, 6-2
2. Alara Hollyfield (MER) def. Sara Kelly (FGCU) 6-4, 1-6, 6-4
3. Sofia Perez (FGCU) def. Mary Courville (MER) 7-5, 6-3
4. Ida Ferding (FGCU) def. Lauren Rich (MER) 6-1, 0-6, 6-0
5. Alba Retortillo (FGCU) def. Marie Mottet (MER) 6-0, 6-4
6. Lourdes Ramalle (FGCU) def. Anna Sovic (MER) 6-2, 6-4

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

Doubles competition
1. Sofia Perez/Maja Ornberg(FGCU) def. Maeva Roquebert/Mary Courville (MER) 6-3
2. Julia Fisch/Sara Kelly (FGCU) def. Marie Mottet/Lauren Rich (MER) 6-3
3. Alba Retortillo/Lourdes Ramalle (FGCU) def. Alara Hollyfield/Anna Sovic (MER) 6-4

Up Next
The Green and Blue return home Friday, Feb. 28 at 10 a.m. against No. 2 FSU which is the start of a seven-match home stand through the month of March.

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 (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 76-54 overall record (.581) and 31-8 conference record (.795).