In March, the FGCU men’s tennis team embarked on a challenging journey, facing off against a series of formidable opponents. Despite their best efforts, the Eagles encountered some setbacks, concluding the month with a 3-6 record.
The month began on March 9 against UAB. Unfortunately, the Eagles faced a tough loss, falling short 4-1 in the match. Against the Blazers, senior Eric Oncins and freshman Hugo Magnusson secured a doubles win with a victory on court one, leveling the score before UAB took the doubles point on court three. Oncins continued his dominant showing by winning his singles match on court four.
FGCU rebounded with a hard-fought 4-2 victory against UNC Asheville on March 11. The Eagles took the doubles point with wins on courts one and two, with Oncins and Magnusson securing the victory on court one.
Following their impressive victory against UNC Asheville, the FGCU men’s tennis team secured their fourth win of the season against the Lipscomb Bisons on March 15, marking their second consecutive win in March.
Despite losing the doubles point, the Eagles rallied in singles competition, with freshman Pablo Paternostro and Magnusson swinging momentum toward the Eagles with quick wins on courts two and one, respectively. Oncins clinched a victory with a strong performance on court five in three sets, turning the match into a dead heat at 3-3 before freshman Philipp Bosse sealed the 4-3 win for the Eagles with a victory on court four.
Following that win, the Eagles dropped their next two conference matches against North Alabama 4-3 and Bellarmine 6-1. A trip to Austin Peay was up next on March 24 with a chance to rebound for FGCU.
The Eagles did just that, gaining some momentum with a notable 6-1 win over Austin Peay for their second conference win of the season. In this match, the Eagles secured the doubles point with wins on courts one and two, courtesy of freshman Mika Bunjes and Magnusson, and Paternostro and freshman Harry Michalowski, respectively. The Governors only earned one singles point in the match during the Eagles’ blowout win.
Returning home for the next three matches to wrap up the month, the Eagles ultimately struggled with their opponents, losing all three matches 6-1. DePaul defeated FGCU on March 26 before North Florida did the same on March 28.
The month concluded on March 30 with a bittersweet senior night against Kennesaw State, where the Eagles suffered another disappointing 6-1 loss to the Owls. Despite a dramatic win to earn the doubles point, the Eagles were unable to maintain their momentum in singles competition, with the Owls securing wins on all courts.
With the conclusion of matches in March, FGCU’s record sat at 5-11 and 2-4 in conference play. The Eagles are in the midst of finishing up their season with conference road matches at Queens, Eastern Kentucky and Stetson ongoing while hoping to make an unlikely appearance as one of the six teams in the 2024 ASUN Men’s Tennis Championship tournament.
