WILMINGTON, NC – Though host UNC Wilmington claimed the early doubles point, the FGCU men's tennis team (4-5) came back to earn a 6-1 victory over the Seahawks (4-5) on Sunday afternoon on the UNCW Courts. After dropping the early point, the Eagles swept singles play to earn the win.

"This season has been building to this moment and it's going to be nothing but up from here with this team," head coach CJ Weber said. "We are becoming a true team and getting better every match. Today was definitely our best match of the year, from a result standpoint and with regards to toughness, teamwork and positivity. I'm so proud of what this group has done so far this year."

At the start of the match, the home team had the momentum as the Seahawks made quick work in securing the doubles point by grabbing wins on the top two courts. The third court, which featured the FGCU pair of sophomore Carter Bradford (Wesley Chapel, FL/George Mason) and freshman Guglielmo Stefanacci (Prato, Italy/International School of Florence) was tied at six-apiece at the time that the point was secured.

In singles play, senior Feliksas Sakalauskas (Palangia, Lithuania/Virginia Tech) almost immediately got the Green and Blue on the board with a straight-set win at the fourth flight. Sophomore Juan Lopez' (Gachancipa, Colombia/Colegio Virtual Siglo XXI) win on court six then shifted the advantage to 2-1 Eagles. From there, FGCU never trailed as it cruised to a 6-1 victory.

Senior Felipe Ramirez (Armenia, Colombia/Florida Virutal School) and junior Juan Montes (Pereira, Colombia/Colegio Lujan) added wins at the top two flights to keep up the scoring for FGCU. Montes' win was a hard-fought, three-set battle in which he claimed a 6-2 result in the final frame to take the court.

Stefanacci and senior Marcelo Tebet (Londrina, Brazil/Colegio Anglo Americano) each battled into three sets in the third and fifth spots, but ultimately came away with wins, as well. Both fell in their opening sets, but then came back to claim their courts.  

Sunday's victory marks the first time all season that FGCU has swept singles play. Though the Seahawks tested the Eagles, the visiting team was able to earn all six available points.

The team will now have a break before it returns to action on March 14 to take on Penn at 9 a.m. at the FGCU Tennis Complex.

Results
Singles competition
1. RAMIREZ, Felipe (FGCU) def. Bruno Caula (UNCW) 6-4, 6-4
2. MONTES, Juan (FGCU) def. Daniel Groom (UNCW) 3-6, 7-5, 6-2
3. TEBET, Marcelo (FGCU) def. Davide Innocenti (UNCW) 1-6, 7-6 (7-4), 6-3
4. SAKALAUSKAS,Feliksas (FGCU) def. Michael Copeland (UNCW) 6-4, 6-3
5. STEFANACCI,Guglielmo (FGCU) def. Michael Morphy (UNCW) 5-7, 6-3, 7-5
6. LOPEZ, Juan (FGCU) def. Cole Groetsch (UNCW) 7-6 (7-2), 6-2
Order of finish: (4, 6, 1, 2, 5, 3)

Doubles competition
1. Bruno Caula/Daniel Groom (UNCW) def. TEBET, Marcelo/MONTES, Juan (FGCU) 7-6 (7-5)
2. Cole Groetsch/Dillon Gooch (UNCW) def. SAKALAUSKAS,Feliksas/RAMIREZ, Felipe (FGCU) 6-2
3. Michael Copeland/Michael Morphy (UNCW) vs. BRADFORD, Carter/STEFANACCI,Guglielmo (FGCU) 6-6, unfinished
Order of finish: (2, 1)

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CJ WEBER
FGCU is led by three-time ASUN Coach of the Year CJ Weber, who has coached 32 ASUN All-Conference selections since joining the Green and Blue in 2011. In his seventh year, Weber has compiled a 97-82 (.541) overall record and a 38-18 (.672) 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 a perfect ASUN regular season in both 2015 and 2016, finishing with conference titles as well as a Coach of the Year honor for Weber. FGCU again won the 2017 ASUN Championship and made its second NCAA appearance. The Eagles returned to the mountaintop by claiming the 2019 regular season and tournament championships. Weber earned his third ASUN Coach of the Year honor and led the Green and Blue to their third trip to the NCAA Tournament. 

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IT TAKES A TEAM to achieve our newest goal - a $10 million campaign to address student-athlete needs in continued academic success, life skills, mental health, nutrition, and strength and conditioning as well as departmental needs in facility expansion and improvement as well as mentoring and leadership training for coaches and staff. The name embodies our mission and the purpose of the E.A.G.L.E. Campaign - Eagle Athletics Generating Lifetime Excellence. Join Our Team and pledge your gift today to help the Eagles of tomorrow!
 
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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 81 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.
 
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