Box Score FORT MYERS, Fla. – Sixth-seeded Florida Gulf Coast University women's tennis team advanced to the Atlantic Sun Conference Championship match after delivering a 4-3 victory over second-seeded Lipscomb University Saturday at the FGCU Tennis Complex.
FGCU has advanced to the ASUN championship match six times, (2015-17, 2019, 2021, 2024) and is seeking the first-ever ASUN Tournament title in school history.
FGCU will now face No. 1 seed Stetson University (14-6) at 9 a.m. Sunday at the FGCU Tennis Complex.
"The ladies played with a lot of heart today; they are fit, and they are fighting for each other and the team," said FGCU head women's tennis coach
Courtney Vernon. "They are looking forward to playing in the championship tomorrow."
FGCU (14-9) almost had the doubles point after
Paloma Goldsmith and
Isabella Colmenares defeated ASUN Pair of Year – Rut Galindo and Sasha Dobranos 6-2 on court 2.
Fanny Norin and
Ida Ferding battled but ultimately fell 7-5, and the Bisons took the doubles point to start the day.
In singles,
Jordana Ossa got to work and placed the Eagles on the scoreboard by defeating ASUN Freshman of the Year Mariya Dolzhenko 6-3, 6-4 on court No. 4.
Ferding gave the Eagles the lead with a 6-4, 4-6, 6-0 victory on No. 5. Colmenares pushed the Green & Blue's advantage to 3-1 with a 6-3, 7-6 (8-6) win on court No. 2.
Lipscomb started to close the gap as
Amelia Kopel dropped her first set 6-3 on court No. 6 but redeemed herself with a 6-0 win in the second set. She narrowly dropped the third 6-4.
The Bisons then evened the match 3-3 as Norin battled ASUN Player of the Year - Sasha Dobranos. Norin took the first set 6-4 but dropped the final two, 6-2, 6-4.
With a place in the championship match on the line, Goldsmith pushed through three sets, falling with a close 6-7 (2) score in the first before delivering 7-5, 6-2 scores in the last two sets to help the Eagles advance to final for the first time since 2021.
Doubles
1. Mariya Dolzhenko/Sofiia Paladi (LIP) def.
Ida Ferding/Fanny Norin (FGCUW) 7-5
2.
Paloma Goldsmith/Isabella Colmenares (FGCUW) def. Rut Galindo/Sasha Dobranos (LIP) 6-2
3. Anja Trbeznik/D Dominguez Collado (LIP) def.
Lola Glantz/Jordana Ossa (FGCUW) 6-2
Singles
1. Sasha Dobranos (LIP) def.
Fanny Norin (FGCUW) 4-6, 6-2, 6-4
2.
Isabella Colmenares (FGCUW) def. Sofiia Paladi (LIP) 6-3, 7-6 (8-6)
3.
Paloma Goldsmith (FGCUW) def. Rut Galindo (LIP) 6-7 (2), 7-5, 6-2
4.
Jordana Ossa (FGCUW) def. Mariya Dolzhenko (LIP) 6-3, 6-4
5.
Ida Ferding (FGCUW) def. Anja Trbeznik (LIP) 6-4, 4-6, 6-0
6. Alina Cherniaieva (LIP) def.
Amelia Kopel (FGCUW) 6-3, 0-6, 6-4
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2,1); Singles (4,5,2,6,1,3)
