FORT MYERS, Fla. – The Stetson University women's tennis team took two singles matches and a doubles match from Florida Gulf Coast, Wednesday, but it was not enough as the Hatters fell to the Eagles 5-2 in Ft. Myers.
Playing on court three, Eveline Lepinay and Lindsey Cable claimed their team's lone doubles match, 8-4 against FGCU's Breana Stampfli and Candela Munoz Giron.
“FGCU played excellent doubles today, we were leading 6-2 at No. 1 and they played well enough to come back, taking the important point," said Director of Stetson Tennis Pierre Pilote. "Winning the doubles point would have change the momentum of the match since we were already playing short ended”
On court No. 1 in singles competition, Stetson's Diana Bukajeva reigned supreme; defeating the Eagles' Sarah Means in straight sets, 6-4, 6-1, but Florida Gulf Coast took match-ups on courts No. 2, 3, 4 and 6 to secure the victory.
Lepinay won her tilt with FGCU's Elizabeth Means, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 on court No. 5 to give the Hatters their pair of singles victories on the day.
“It's a disappointing lost because of the importance of the match in relations to making the conference championship," Pilote explained.
Stetson, now 10-3 next hosts nationally ranked North Florida, Saturday, Mar. 22 at the Mandy Stoll Tennis Center, where the Hatters are undefeated this season (6-0).
Match play between SU and UNF gets underway at 2 p.m., with doubles competition to lead things off. The Ospreys are ranked 63rd in the nation and play FGCU in Ft. Myers on Friday before their trip to DeLand.
