FORT MYERS, FL – The FGCU women's tennis team (5-6) took down Lipscomb (3-8) Saturday afternoon, 6-1, to open up ASUN action at the FGCU Tennis Complex.

"Lipscomb is a tough team and we knew we had to come out with a lot of energy," said head coach Courtney Vernon. "We took our energy from doubles play right into singles and made some very good steps. Our close loss Thursday was a good learning opportunity. It meant that we have to be prepared for anything and everything to happen. So if we go out with that mentality, we're going to become stronger and more self-aware."

The Eagles flew out of the gates in doubles action collecting the point in about 30 minutes over the Bisons. The tandem of Alba Retortillo (Leon,Spain/ La Anunciata) and Lourdes Ramalle (Buenos Aires, Argentina/Portland) produced a 6-0 win in the process collecting their fourth doubles win in dual matches this season. Moments later, Julia Fisch (New York, NY/Arizona State) and Sara Kelly (Naples, FL/Florida Virtual School) sealed it for FGCU cruising to another 6-0 triumph. They are now 5-1 in doubles this season.

Heading into singles competition, FGCU continued its aggressive play claiming courts Nos. 1 and 6 to take a 3-0 lead. Maja Ornberg (Kil, Sweden/De la Gardiegymnasiet, Lidkoping) produced a 6-0, 6-1 win on the top court while Ramalle went 6-1, 6-1 on court No. 6. The official clincher took place on court No. 5 where Ida Ferding (Vasteras, Sweden/Akademi Bastad Gymnasium) snagged a 6-2, 6-1 triumph.

Sofia Perez (Alajuela, Costa Rica/Florida Virtual School) rounded out the scoring, going into a third-set tiebreaker. Perez turned in an 11-9 win in the third while Satomi Momose (Tokyo, Japam/St. Petersburg) fell, 3-7, in her respective third set. 

Singles competition
1. Maja Ornberg (FGCU) def. Kate Popova (LIP) 6-0, 6-1
2. Sofia Perez (FGCU) def. Emma Zakordoniec (LIP) 4-6, 6-1, 1-0 (11-9)
3. Denise Buberl (LIP) def. Satomi Momose (FGCU) 6-3, 5-7, 1-0 (7-3)
4. Sara Kelly (FGCU) def. Anja Trbeznik (LIP) 6-3, 6-2
5. Ida Ferding (FGCU) def. Liza Diachenko (LIP) 6-2, 6-1
6. Lourdes Ramalle (FGCU) def. Eleanor Chapman (LIP) 6-1, 6-1

Doubles competition
1. Sofia Perez/Maja Ornberg (FGCU) def. Kate Popova/Denise Buberl (LIP) 4-2, unifinshed
2. Julia FISCH/Sara kelly (FGCU) def. Emma Zakordoniec/Anja Trbeznik (LIP) 6-0
3. Alba Retortillo/Lourdes Ramalle (FGCU) def. Maddox Bandy/Liza Diachenko (LIP) 6-0

Up Next
FGCU returns to the courts Wednesday morning facing Gonzaga at 10 a.m. at the FGCU Tennis Complex.

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 77-56 overall record (.581) and 32-8 conference record (.800).