TicketsFORT MYERS, Fla. – The University of Cincinnati women's tennis team battled to the final court before falling 4-3 to Florida Gulf Coast on Thursday.
"We were disappointed in the outcome, but our team can really be proud with how they competed today," head coach Eric Toth said. "FGCU is a very tough team, especially on their home courts. Failing to close out the doubles point did us in today and we need to pick it up in order to get that early lead and not play from behind. We have several matches left on our schedule with teams of a similar caliber. We are leaving Florida playing some pretty good tennis and I am hopeful we can break through in several of our remaining matches against some really good opponents."
FGCU claimed the doubles point with wins on courts two and three. After the Eagles took court three, the pair of sophomore Callie Flanagan and redshirt junior Cassie McLay secured a 6-4 win on court one to push the decision to the final court. FGCU responded shortly after by taking court two for the initial lead.
Sophomore Elizabeth Pendergast evened the score by taking 12 of the 15 singles points on court one, 6-1, 6-2. Freshman Katie Ferguson picked up the Bearcats' second point of the match with a straight set win on court six, 6-2, 6-4.
Trailing by one point, redshirt junior teammates Kelli Niehaus and McLay forced third-set tiebreakers on their respective courts. Niehaus clinched court four to push the match decision to the final court, but the Eagles took court two for the win.
Cincinnati returns home for six straight matches, starting with Dayton on Wednesday, March 22 at 3 p.m. ET.
FOLLOW THE BEARCATS
For all the latest information on Cincinnati women's tennis, please visit GoBEARCATS.com and follow @GoBearcatsWTEN on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.
RESULTS
Cincinnati 3, FGCU 4
March 16, 2023 | Fort Myers, Fla. | FGCU Tennis Complex
Doubles
1. Callie Flanagan / Cassie McLay (UC) def. Emma Bardet / Ida Ferding (FGCU), 6-4
2. Jordana Ossa / Alba Retortillo (FGCU) def. Katie Ferguson / Kelli Niehaus (UC), 6-4
3. Isabella Colmenares / Fanny Norin (FGCU) def. Sofia Bruno / Elizabeth Pendergast (UC), 6-4
ORDER OF FINISH: 3,1,2
Singles
1. Elizabeth Pendergast (UC) def. Emma Bardet (FGCU), 6-1, 6-2
2. Fanny Norin (FGCU) def. Cassie McLay (UC), 6-4, 6-7 (7), 6-2
3. Isabella Colmenares (FGCU) def. Maria Santilli (UC), 6-4, 6-2
4. Kelli Niehaus (UC) def. Ida Ferding (FGCU), 6-7 (4), 7-6 (3), 6-2
5. Jordan Ossa (FGCU) def. Callie Flanagan (UC), 6-4, 6-2
6. Katie Ferguson (UC) def. Gabriela Macias (FGCU), 6-2, 6-4
ORDER OF FINISH: 1,5,6,3,4,2
"We were disappointed in the outcome, but our team can really be proud with how they competed today," head coach Eric Toth said. "FGCU is a very tough team, especially on their home courts. Failing to close out the doubles point did us in today and we need to pick it up in order to get that early lead and not play from behind. We have several matches left on our schedule with teams of a similar caliber. We are leaving Florida playing some pretty good tennis and I am hopeful we can break through in several of our remaining matches against some really good opponents."
FGCU claimed the doubles point with wins on courts two and three. After the Eagles took court three, the pair of sophomore Callie Flanagan and redshirt junior Cassie McLay secured a 6-4 win on court one to push the decision to the final court. FGCU responded shortly after by taking court two for the initial lead.
Sophomore Elizabeth Pendergast evened the score by taking 12 of the 15 singles points on court one, 6-1, 6-2. Freshman Katie Ferguson picked up the Bearcats' second point of the match with a straight set win on court six, 6-2, 6-4.
Trailing by one point, redshirt junior teammates Kelli Niehaus and McLay forced third-set tiebreakers on their respective courts. Niehaus clinched court four to push the match decision to the final court, but the Eagles took court two for the win.
Cincinnati returns home for six straight matches, starting with Dayton on Wednesday, March 22 at 3 p.m. ET.
FOLLOW THE BEARCATS
For all the latest information on Cincinnati women's tennis, please visit GoBEARCATS.com and follow @GoBearcatsWTEN on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.
RESULTS
Cincinnati 3, FGCU 4
March 16, 2023 | Fort Myers, Fla. | FGCU Tennis Complex
Doubles
1. Callie Flanagan / Cassie McLay (UC) def. Emma Bardet / Ida Ferding (FGCU), 6-4
2. Jordana Ossa / Alba Retortillo (FGCU) def. Katie Ferguson / Kelli Niehaus (UC), 6-4
3. Isabella Colmenares / Fanny Norin (FGCU) def. Sofia Bruno / Elizabeth Pendergast (UC), 6-4
ORDER OF FINISH: 3,1,2
Singles
1. Elizabeth Pendergast (UC) def. Emma Bardet (FGCU), 6-1, 6-2
2. Fanny Norin (FGCU) def. Cassie McLay (UC), 6-4, 6-7 (7), 6-2
3. Isabella Colmenares (FGCU) def. Maria Santilli (UC), 6-4, 6-2
4. Kelli Niehaus (UC) def. Ida Ferding (FGCU), 6-7 (4), 7-6 (3), 6-2
5. Jordan Ossa (FGCU) def. Callie Flanagan (UC), 6-4, 6-2
6. Katie Ferguson (UC) def. Gabriela Macias (FGCU), 6-2, 6-4
ORDER OF FINISH: 1,5,6,3,4,2