FORT MYERS, Fla. – Florida Gulf Coast University's women's tennis team dropped its first match of the season, falling 4-0 to Columbia University Monday morning.
Fans came out to see the Eagles battle the Lions, who ended the 2024 season being ranked 48th in the country in low 50-degree temperatures.
"Today, Columbia exposed the areas that we need to grow in, they were a solid team and we will grow a lot from the match today," said FGCU head women's tennis coach
Courtney Vernon. "The team is looking forward to competing again this weekend."
In doubles,
Gabriela Macias and
Anjali Kotecha delivered a 6-2 victory on court No. 3 over Sophia Strugnell and Gaythri Krishnan. The Lions took the other two doubles matches to start singles with a 1-0 lead.
Macias loss on court No. 4 gave Columbia its second point before
Isabella Colmenares dropped her match on court No. 2. Krishnan clinched the match for Columbia as Kotecha fell 6-3, 6-4 on court No. 3.
Paloma Goldsmith was the only Eagle to win a set in singles action producing a 6-4 score in the first and was tied at 3-3 before the match was retired.
The Green & Blue will next head to the Peach State to battle Mercer on Friday at 10 a.m. and Georgia Southern the following day with an 11 a.m. start time.
FGCU 0, COLUMBIA 4
Doubles Competition
1. Fatima Keita/Malak El Allami (COL) def.
Isabella Colmenares/Ashley Matz (FGCU) 6-2
2. Sophia Strugnell/Gayathri Krishnan (COL) def.
Paloma Goldsmith/Nora Svensson (FGCU) 6-1
3.
Gabriela Macias/Anjali Kotecha (FGCU) def. Emily Baek/Sophia Wang (COL) 6-2
Singles Competition
1.
Ashley Matz (FGCU) vs. Fatima Keita (COL) 2-6, 6-2, 1-1, unfinished
2. Malak El Allami (COL) def.
Isabella Colmenares (FGCU) 6-3, 6-3
3. Gayathri Krishnan (COL) def.
Anjali Kotecha (FGCU) 6-3, 6-4
4. Sophia Wang (COL) def.
Gabriela Macias (FGCU) 6-2, 6-0
5.
Nora Svensson (FGCU) vs. Winta Tewolde (COL) 3-6, 2-5, unfinished
6. P
aloma Goldsmith (FGCU) vs. Emily Baek (COL) 6-4, 3-3, unfinished
Order of finish: Doubles (2,3,1); Singles (4,2,3)
