FORT MYERS, Fla. - As the series history shows, North Florida and FGCU has always been a battle. Saturday's semifinal showdown between these top-ASUN teams lived up to that trend, although it was the host and top-seeded No. 71 Eagles (15-6) that came out ahead this time, 4-3, as the No. 70 Ospreys (16-8) bowed out of the tournament. 

The match came down to court three as FGCU clinched the match in three sets. Momentum shifted back-and-forth between the two programs, with each team holding the lead at least once before things were tied up, 3-3.

How it Happened
FGCU won at courts one and three to clinch the doubles point. Rodrigo Crespo and Nilo Duarte led 5-4 before their match was left unfinished.

Despite a hot start from FGCU in the first set at courts one, three and four, North Florida slowly crept back in to take the momentum after FGCU earned the doubles point. Big behind that momentum swing was Nilo Duarte, who handled Randy Wilson, 6-2, 6-1. 

UNF clung to that momentum thanks to stellar performances by PJ Kotan and Rodrigo Crespo at courts five and six. Crespo took the first frame, 6-4, and staved off a late push from Juan Lopez to take the second set in the same fashion. 

After a big win in the quarterfinals, PJ Kotan turned around to put UNF up 3-1 just minutes after Crespo. Kotan won the first-set tiebreaker, 7-6 (7-4) before putting 6-0 second-set win together. 

The tides began to turn though, as Magnus Johnson won 6-3, 6-4 to get FGCU a much needed point.

Reinvigorated by that win, FGCU's Juan Montes shook off a 6-0 loss to Dominik Barton in the second set to even the match, 3-3.

The match came down to Matt Carroll and Marcelo Sepulveda at court three. Carroll came back to win a convincing 6-1 second set, tying things up. Despite an early lead in the third frame, Sepulveda came back to string games together and eventually win it. The final point came with the game score at 40-40 as Carroll nearly evaded match point.
 
Singles Competition
1. JOHNSON, Magnus (FGCUM) def. Jonas Hartenstein (UNF) 6-3, 6-4
2. Nilo Duarte (UNF) def. WILSON, Randy (FGCUM) 6-2, 6-1
3. SEPULVEDA, Marcelo (FGCUM) def. Matt Carroll (UNF) 6-3, 1-6, 6-3
4. MONTES, Juan (FGCUM) def. #69 Dominik Barton (UNF) 6-4, 0-6, 6-1
5. PJ Kotan (UNF) def. STEFANACCI, Gugli (FGCUM) 7-6 (7-4), 6-0
6. Rodrigo Crespo (UNF) def. LOPEZ, Juan (FGCUM) 6-4, 6-4

Doubles Competition
1. JOHNSON, Magnus/DAMM, Max (FGCUM) def. Jonas Hartenstein/Jorge Nunez (UNF) 6-4
2. SEPULVEDA, Marcelo/MONTES, Juan (FGCUM) vs. Nilo Duarte/Rodrigo Crespo (UNF) 4-5, unfinished
3. ONCINS, Eric/WILSON, Randy (FGCUM) def. Matt Carroll/Dominik Barton (UNF) 6-3

Match Notes
North Florida 16-8; National ranking #70
FGCU 15-6; National ranking #71
Order of finish: Doubles (1,3); Singles (2,6,5,1,4,3)
Official: Bob Booth T-2:54 A-297

Other Notes

• UNF split its two matches against FGCU.
• Each of UNF's last three losses in postseason play have come against FGCU, with two of them coming at a 4-3 score.
• North Florida finishes with a 16-8 overall record, one win shy of its most wins since the 2014-15 season.