FORT MYERS, Fla. – With FGCU on the verge of history, the injury bug scattered hopes and dashed dreams. FGCU rallied to tie undefeated and 56
th-ranked North Florida in a four-plus-hour battle Friday at the FGCU Tennis Complex only for an injury withdrawal forcing the outcome to be handed to the Ospreys, 4-3.
It would have marked the second win over a ranked opponent in program history and would have handed the 56
th-ranked Ospreys (20-0, 5-0) their first loss of the season. However, with the team score tied at 3-3, and the No. 3 singles match between FGCU's
Ashley Matz and UNF's Aryana Bartlett was tied, 5-5, in the third set after initial scores of 6-7 (8-10) and 7-5.
Tragically, that is when injury struck FGCU (14-6, 0-2). Matz was forced to withdraw due to injury, conceding the point and match to Bartlett and North Florida.
The heartbreak for the Eagles was even more tragic as FGCU had trailed 3-1, before rallying back to pull even at 3-3. After dropping the doubles point,
Sabrina Jaramillo was dominant at No. 4 singles with a 6-2, 6-3 win over May Fadida. That tallied Jaramillo's 18
th win of the season, bringing her even with
Nora Svensson for the team lead.
UNF struck back, scoring wins at No. 2 singles and then No. 1 singles, to take the 3-1 match advantage. Cecile Maeland controlled both sets in her 6-4, 6-4 win over Gabby Goyins, who dropped to 24-4 on the season.
Anjali Kotecha then registered a 7-6 (7-3), 6-3 win at No. 6 singles to bring the match even at 3-3.
Earlier, North Florida secured the doubles point with victories at No. 1 and No. 2 doubles. Laurie Barendse and Isabel Oliveira defeated
Nora Svensson and
June Bjork 6-3 at No. 1 doubles, while Aryana Bartlett and Anslee Long achieved a 6-4 win against
Cecilie Maeland and
Anjali Kotecha at No. 2 doubles. The match at No. 3 doubles was left unfinished with Gabby Goyins and Jasmin Makela leading 5-4 against
Africa Burillo Berezak and
Ashley Matz.
In singles, Isabel Oliveira extended the Ospreys' lead with a 6-4, 6-3 victory over Bjork at No. 2 singles, then Barendse registered a 6-0, 7-5 win over Svensson.
FGCU will wrap up the regular season on Sunday as the Eagles host South Alabama (10-3). The Jaguars will face North Florida in Fort Myers Saturday at 10 a.m. before facing the host Eagles on Sunday at 10 a.m.
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Game Notes:
- While UNF remained undefeated, this marked the Ospreys' closest margin of victory this season.
- This was just UNF's second win over Florida Gulf Coast in the past four meetings. UNF leads the series, 22-4.
- Sabrina Jaramillo's win marked her 18th singles win of the year, bringing her even with Nora Svensson for the most singles wins of the season.
- Cecilie Maeland's win over Gabby Goyins denied Goyins her 25th win of the season, as she fell to 24-4 in singles this year.
