JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The #74 FGCU women's tennis team fell behind against North Florida and despite a valiant comeback effort, dropped a 5-2 decision to the Ospreys. It is the first loss for the Eagles in ASUN play this year as they fall to 3-1 in conference play and 10-6 overall while UNF improves to 8-8 and 2-1 in the ASUN.

"The ladies competed hard today but UNF was more aggressive in the moments they needed to be," said head coach Courtney Vernon. "We are looking forward to getting back to work to prepare for Kennesaw State."

The Eagles dropped the doubles point to begin the match, but not without a highlight for the Eagles as juniors Ida Ferding (Vasteras, Sweden/Akademi Bastad Gymnasium) and Emma Bardet (Vichey, France/Long Beach State) defeated the 15th-ranked duo in the country in Kit Gulihar and Ana Paula Melilo, 6-2.

In singles, the Ospreys quickly extended their lead to 3-0 as they won in straight sets on courts one and three, but the Eagles were not out of it as they were up a set on courts four and six and in the third set on courts two and five.

Junior Alba Retortillo (Leon, Spain/La Anunciata) and sophomore Fanny Norin (Stockholm, Sweden/Thoren Business School) completed their straight-set wins as Retortillo won 7-5, 6-2 on court six while Norin won 6-0, 6-4 on court four.

Sophomore Jordana Ossa (Miami, Fla./John A. Ferguson Senior High/Wisconsin) tried to keep the rally going as she forced a third set. She could not complete the comeback, however, as she dropped the final set, 6-2, as the Ospreys clinched the match.

Freshman Isabella Colmenares (San Cristobal, Venezuela/Colegio Juan XXIII) also tried to come back in her match on court two after dropping the first set, but ultimately fell in the third set as well.

UNF 5, #74 FGCU 2
Singles Action
1.    #38 Kit Gulihur (UNF) def. BARDET, Emma (FGCU) 6-2, 6-2
2.    Summer Yardley (UNF) def. COLMENARES, Isabella (FGCU) 6-0, 4-6, 6-3
3.    Annabelle Davis (UNF) def. FERDING, Ida (FGCU) 6-0, 6-0
4.    NORIN, Fanny (FGCU) def. Isabel Oliveira (UNF) 6-0, 6-4
5.    Anslee Long (UNF) def. OSSA, Jordana (FGCU) 6-2, 2-6, 6-2
6.    RETORTILLO, Alba (FGCU) def. Kendall Nash (UNF) 7-5, 6-2

Doubles Action
1.    BARDET, Emma/FERDING, Ida (FGCU) def. #15 Kit Gulihur/Ana Paula Melilo (UNF) 6-2
2.    Anslee Long/Isabel Oliveira (UNF) def. RETORTILLO, Alba/MACIAS, Gabriela (FGCU) 6-4
3.    Summer Yardley/Annabelle Davis (UNF) def. NORIN, Fanny/OSSA, Jordana (FGCU) 6-3

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

The Eagles will return to action next Sunday when they host Kennesaw State. First serve from the FGCU Tennis Complex against the Owls is set for 10 a.m.

For complete coverage of FGCU women's tennis, follow the Eagles on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook at @FGCU_WTEN and online at www.FGCUAthletics.com. You can also sign up to have news on FGCU women's tennis or other programs delivered directly to your inbox by visiting www.fgcuathletics.com/email.

HEAD COACH COURTNEY VERNON
FGCU's women's tennis team is led by three-time ASUN Coach of the Year Courtney Vernon (9th 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 63 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 an 92-66 overall record (.582) and 39-10 conference record (.796).

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ABOUT FGCU
FGCU teams have combined to win an incredible 87 conference regular season and tournament titles in just 14+ seasons at the Division I level. Additionally, in just nine seasons of D-I postseason eligibility, the Eagles have had a combined 43 teams or individuals compete in NCAA championships. Eight FGCU programs have earned a top-25 national ranking in their respective sport - including women's basketball (No. 25, 2021-22), beach volleyball (No. 20, 2021) 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 in their sport. FGCU also collectively earned a record 3.50 GPA in the classroom in the fall 2020 semester and has outperformed the general University undergraduate population for 24 consecutive semesters. The 2019 Fall, 2020 Spring, 2020 Fall, and 2021 Spring semesters each saw another milestone reached as all 15 programs achieved a 3.0-or-higher team GPA in each. 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.