FORT MYERS, Fla. - The Ospreys opened up an early 1-0 lead behind good energy and clean play in doubles, but the FGCU Eagles (2-3, 1-0 ASUN) responded to steal five of six singles matches as UNF (4-4, 0-1 ASUN) fell in the league opener, 5-2.

North Florida hadn't dropped a doubles match since February 2 at NC State, and that streak persisted Saturday. Sahil Deshmukh and Dominik Barton cruised to a 6-2 win at number two doubles, and Federico Nani and Jorge Nunez kept their strong doubles chemistry going with a 6-4 win to clinch the point.

Missed opportunities early haunted UNF in singles play though. Sahil Deshmukh secured the Ospreys' lone singles point by outlasting Juan Montes at number-one singles.

The senior found himself down one set before rebounding for impressive 6-0, 6-4 scores in sets two and three. Three different opening sets went to FGCU, 6-4, while Javier Fernandez took the first set against Nilo Duarte, 7-6. Fernandez's set loomed large as he went on to clinch the match at number-five singles.

Coach Lucas' Comments:
"It was not good enough on our end today. We got off to a great start, the energy was high, we executed well and dominated the doubles point but we didn't carry that into singles well enough and they took advantage. We had multiple opportunities to close out the first set on different courts, and that would have swung the momentum of the match, but hopefully we start to understand how that momentum effects that match. We have to learn how to close out sets and execute in the big moments. We will regroup, it's still early, but the main thing is that we have to learn from this. We have a big weekend ahead with two teams from Tennessee, and we have to get back to work." -- head coach Matt Lucas

Notes:

• This is FGCU's first win over UNF since April of 2017 in the first round of the ASUN Championships.
• UNF took its ASUN opener against FGCU last year, 5-2.
• Nani and Nunez are undefeated as a doubles pair this year.
• The Ospreys are 26-14 overall in doubles play.

 
Singles Competition
1. Sahil Deshmukh (UNF) def. Juan Montes (FGCU) 5-7, 6-0, 6-4
2. Felipe Ramirez (FGCU) def. Till Von Winning (UNF) 6-2, 7-5
3. Felipe Escobar (FGCU) def. Domink Barton (UNF) 6-4, 6-4
4. Feliksas Sakalauskas (FGCU) def. Jorge Nunez (UNF) 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (5)
5. Javier Fernandez (FGCU) def. Nilo Duarte (UNF) 7-6, 1-6, 6-4
6. Marcelo Tebet (FGCU) def. Federico Nani (UNF) 6-4, 7-6
 
Doubles Competition
1. Felipe Escobar/Mateo Ruiz (FGCU) vs Nilo Duarte/Til Von Winning (UNF) 5-4 unfinished
2. Sahil Deshmukh/ Dominik Barton (UNF) def. Marcelo Tebet/Juan Montes (FGCU) 6-2
3. Federico Nani/Jorge Nunez (UNF) def. Feliksas Sakalauskas/ Felipe Ramirez (FGCU) 6-4

Order of finish: Doubles (3, 2, 1); Singles (3, 6, 2, 4, 5, 1)

Up Next:
UNF goes to Tennessee for a pair of tough matches beginning with Vanderbilt on Friday followed by Middle Tennessee Sunday.