LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The FGCU women's tennis team (11-6, 2-2 ASUN Conference) delivered a 7-0 sweep at Bellarmine (3-16, 0-4 ASUN) on Wednesday afternoon at the Eddie Weber Tennis Complex.
 
"Today the ladies were challenged by having to play indoors," said FGCU head women's tennis coach Courtney Vernon. "It was a good opportunity for them to face some different challenges. They are looking forward to playing again (Thursday), and are grateful for the opportunity to compete."
 
The Eagles jumped on top early, as senior Alba Retortillo (Leon, Spain/La Anuciata) and junior Jordana Ossa (Miami, Fla./John A. Ferguson Senior HS/Wisconsin) teamed up for a 6-3 decision at No. 2. Sophomores Gabriela Macias (Barranquilla, Colombia/Colegio Fontan) and Isabella Colmenares (San Cristobal, Venezuela/Colegio Juan XXIII) then clinched the doubles point with a 7-6 (5) victory at No. 3.
 
FGCU continued its barrage in singles, as Colmenares earned a 6-1, 6-2 victory at No. 3. Senior Ida Ferding (Vasteras, Sweden/Akademi Basted Gymnasium) then won the Eagles' third point with a 6-1, 6-3 showing at No. 4.
 
Junior Fanny Norin (Stockholm, Sweden/Thoren Business School) clinched the match for the Green & Blue with a 6-2, 4-6, 6-2 effort at No. 2. FGCU continued its dominance at No. 6, with Macias winning 6-1, 6-1. Retortillo sealed the shutout for the Eagles by winning 6-1, 7-5 at No. 5.
 
The Eagles remain on the road at Lipscomb (8-8, 3-1 ASUN), at noon Thursday in Nashville, Tenn. – a match that was originally slated for 10 a.m. Friday, but has been moved up due to expected inclement weather.
 
Doubles Competition


1. Vendula Kryslova/Ekaterina Tikhonko (BELL) def. BARDET, Emma/FERDING, Ida (FGCU) 6-2
2. RETORTILLO, Alba/OSSA, Jordana (FGCU) def. Shu Grosso/Cydney Rogers (BELL) 6-3
3. MACIAS, Gabriela/COLMENARES, Isabella (FGCU) def. Hanley Riner/Channing Varnum (BELL) 7-6
Singles Competition

1. BARDET, Emma (FGCU) def. Ekaterina Tikhonko (BELL) 4-6, 6-4, 6-4
2. NORIN, Fanny (FGCU) def. Vendula Kryslova (BELL) 6-2, 4-6, 6-2
3. COLMENARES, Isabella (FGCU) def. Cydney Rogers (BELL) 6-1, 6-2
4. FERDING, Ida (FGCU) def. Hanley Riner (BELL) 6-1, 6-3
5. RETORTILLO, Alba (FGCU) def. Shu Grosso (BELL) 6-1, 7-5
6. MACIAS, Gabriela (FGCU) def. Channing Varnum (BELL) 6-1, 6-1 
 
Order of finish: Doubles (2,1,3); Singles (3,4,2,1,6,5)

 
HEAD COACH COURTNEY VERNON
FGCU's women's tennis team is led by three-time ASUN Coach of the Year Courtney Vernon (10th season) who led the Eagles to back-to-back ASUN regular-season crowns in her fifth season during 2018, adding a third regular-season title in 2022. She has mentored her student-athletes into earning 66 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 110-79 overall record (.582) and 46-11  conference record (.779).


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ABOUT FGCU 
FGCU teams have combined to win an incredible 96 conference regular season and tournament titles in just 15-plus seasons at the Division I level. Additionally, in just 11-plus seasons of D-I postseason eligibility, the Eagles have had a combined 48 teams or individuals compete in NCAA championships. In 2022, the men's golf team became the first program to earn an at-large berth to the NCAA Tournament. Nine FGCU programs have earned a top-25 national ranking in their respective sport - including women's basketball (No. 20 in 2021-22 and No. 22 in 2022-23), baseball (No. 16 in 2023), beach volleyball (No. 20 in 2022), and both men's soccer (2018, 2019) and women's soccer (2018) as five of the most recent. In 2016-17, the Green & 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 3.67 GPA in the classroom in the fall 2022 semester and has outperformed the general University undergraduate population for 27 consecutive semesters. The past seven semesters (Fall 2019 – Fall 2022) saw another milestone reached as all 15 programs achieved a 3.0-or-higher cumulative 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.
 
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