The FGCU women’s tennis team faced a tough start to the season, going 0-4 in their initial matches. However, the Eagles turned the tide with an impressive victory against Barry University, the six-time defending Division II national champions, on Feb. 8. In a hotly contested match, FGCU managed to secure a 4-3 win over Barry.
The Eagles took an early lead by winning two out of the three doubles contests, giving them a 1-0 advantage. Notably, senior Fanny Norin and graduate student Ida Ferning showcased dominance on court one, securing a 6-1 victory.
“So we did split singles, which means that the doubles mattered when it was the deciding point. Yeah, so it’s always very important to get that one and I’m happy we went up two out of three courts,” Norin said.
After taking a 1-0 lead after doubles, the Eagles faced the challenge of the singles matches. Unfortunately, they experienced a tough start, falling behind 2-0 as freshman Madeleine Joffe and junior Lola Glantz lost their individual matches. With the Buccaneers taking a 2-1 lead, the Eagles knew they needed a strong performance to turn the tide. After enduring a setback of four consecutive losses to start the season, the team really started to rally around a newfound energy.
On court one, Norin exemplified this newfound energy, delivering a powerful performance by winning her first set 6-1. She continued this play, securing the second set for the Eagles with a score of 7-5, tying the overall score at 2-2. She had this to say about her dominant performance.
“Yeah, first of all, very happy I could win today. I think I made fewer mistakes than she did. And that was the deciding factor,” Norin said.
After Ferning faced a defeat against Barry’s No. 3 player with set scores of 6-2 and 6-3, Barry took the lead again at 3-2. The pressure was on, and it all depended on junior Isabella Colmenares and her teammate, senior Jordana Ossa to secure victories in their singles matches for the Eagles to claim their first win of the season.
Colmenares faced a tough start, losing the first set to Barry’s No. 2 player with a close score of 7-5. However, Colmenares didn’t let that get to her. She fought hard, bouncing back to win the second set dominantly by a score of 6-0. Going into the third set, Colmenares continued her formidable performance, securing a 6-1 victory. With the score now tied at 3-3, all eyes turned to Ossa as the Eagles hoped for her win to secure their first victory.
The tension escalated as Ossa began her singles match. Unfortunately, she faced an early setback, losing the first set 7-5, with the Eagles might miss out on their first win of the season. However, with both teams and fans keeping a close eye on Ossa, she battled fiercely in the second set, managing to win it with a score of 7-5.
Her teammates and the FGCU crowd rallied around her, cheering her on as she fought her way through the decisive third set. In a remarkable display of determination, Ossa secured the third set with a convincing 6-2 victory. Ossa’s performance delivered the Eagles their first win of the season 4-3.
Head coach Courtney Vernon shared her thoughts on the match after by speaking on the importance of carrying what this win brought the Eagles.
“I think, I mean, the most important thing is that we’re growing every time we step out on the court. Today was definitely that opportunity to grow,” Vernon said. “And we’ve taken a lot out of today that we want to be working on, including the energy. So I think it’s just staying humble and just stay working.”
Vernon then said she felt the overall performance of the team was good in their win.
“The main thing is that we’re taking steps to reach our goals. Every time we’re competing, whether we get a win or not, of course, we want to win every time we step on the court, but I think the most important thing is that we’re taking steps to achieve our goals and getting ready for conference play,” Vernon said. “And I think today was, you know, a good step for that. And we’re just going to continue to work hard. And the captains and the leaders of this team are doing a great job of setting the bar high.”
After overcoming a winless start, the FGCU women’s tennis team secured a pivotal 4-3 victory against Barry to improve to 1-4 on the season. The Eagles now gear up to face Air Force on Feb. 16 at home, as they carry momentum into their upcoming match.
