FORT MYERS, Fla. – The FGCU women's tennis team (0-1) fell in its season opener to FIU (1-0), 4-3, Saturday afternoon at the FGCU Tennis Complex.

"It was great being out there today and the ladies competed," said head coach Courtney Vernon. "Obviously it's not the result that we wanted, but I am already seeing some progress. We saw a lot that we need to work on and we're hoping to build from it today."

FGCU captured the doubles point to start off the afternoon as the tandem of Alba Retortillo (Leon,Spain/ La Anunciata) and Lourdes Ramalle (Buenos Aires, Argentina/Portland) picked up a 6-3 win on court No. 3. After FIU claimed the top court, Maja Ornberg (Kil, Sweden/De la Gardiegymnasiet, Lidkoping) and Emma Bardet (Vichy, France/Long Beach State) registered a 7-6 victory, claiming the clinching point in a 7-1 tiebreaker.

In singles play, the Panthers got into a rhythm, reeling off four-straight wins as the clinching fourth point arrived on court No.2. Meanwhile, Retortillo and freshman Fanny Norin (Stockholm, Sweden/Thoren Business School) saw their matches go into three sets. 
 
Retortillo fought back from a 2-6 deficit after the first set, only to win the next two 6-3, 6-3. Norin also battled back after a tough 2-6 loss after one, claiming the second set 6-1, and the final set 6-4. The win was the first of her collegiate career. 

Up Next
FGCU is back in action on Saturday, Feb. 13 hosting USF (0-3). The match is slated for a 2 p.m. start.

Singles competition
1. Akbas,Basak (FIU) def. Maja Ornberg (FGCU) 6-2, 6-3
2. Alcaide,Marina (FIU) def. Emma Bardet (FGCU) 6-3, 6-2
3. Miletic,Kristina (FIU) def. Sofia Perez (FGCU) 6-3, 6-4
4. Fanny Norin (FGCU) def. Skrobonja,Andjela (FIU) 3-6, 6-1, 6-4
5. Velcea,Andreea (FIU) def. Ida Ferding (FGCU) 6-3, 6-0
6. Alba Retortillo (FGCU) def. Vergara,Francisca (FIU) 2-6, 6-3, 6-3

Doubles competition
1. Akbas,Basak/Velcea,Andreea (FIU) def. Ida Ferding/Sofia Perez (FGCU) 6-4
2. Maja Ornberg/Emma Bardet (FGCU) def. Alcaide,Marina/Vielma,Ashley (FIU) 7-6 (7-1)
3. Alba Retortillo/Lourdes Ramalle (FGCU) def. Miletic,Kristina/Skrobonja,Andjela (FIU) 6-3

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

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.

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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 (8th 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 77-58 overall record (.570) and 32-8 conference record (.800).

#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 82 conference regular season and tournament titles in just 13 seasons at the Division I level. Additionally, in just nine seasons of D-I postseason eligibility, the Eagles have had a combined 38 teams or individuals compete in NCAA championships. Seven FGCU programs have earned a top-25 national ranking in their respective sport – including women's basketball (No. 24, 2019-20) and both men's soccer (2018, 2019) and women's soccer (2018) as three of the most recent. 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 (APR) in their sport and have had the highest percentage of teams so honored from these two groups over each of the past three years. FGCU also collectively earned a record 3.46 GPA in the classroom in the spring 2020 semester and has outperformed the general University undergraduate population for 22 consecutive semesters. The 2019 Fall and 2020 Spring semesters each saw another milestone reached as all 15 programs achieved a 3.0-or-higher team GPA. 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.