The Academy Tennis Team claimed the 2A-Region 5 championship on Thursday, April 12, against Auburndale at the Hillsborough Community College Complex. The squad of Daniella Nasser, Caroline Lozo, Korina Hernandez, Sarah Port and Amanda Schifino earned the title by posting a score of 5-0, winning all five singles matches.
The team will return to the state tournament for its third consecutive season at States, held this year at Red Bug Lake Park in Casselberry, near Orlando, on August 16-18.
On Tuesday, April 10, the top five Academy players won all five singles matches in straight sets to down Lake Wales, 7-0. “The way we’ve been playing showed today,” Jaguars coach Jonathan Collazo said. “We schedule a lot of teams out of our district to get them ready for a situation like regionals.”
Beginning with their 6-1 win over Shorecrest 6-1 on March 29 to improve their record to 14- 1, the team kept their one-loss season going. Then right before spring break began, the team swept the field on Tuesday, April 3, and earned the district title for the third year in a row.
Academy 2A-District 10 champions include Daniela Nasser: #1 Singles; Caroline Lozo: #2 Singles; Korina Hernandez: #3 Singles; Daniela Nasser/Caroline Lozo: #1 Doubles.
The team has peaked this season just at the right time, beginning with its last meet with Shorecrest in St. Petersburg on Thursday, March 29. Freshman Caroline Lozo, freshman Daniela Nasser, eighth-grader Korina Hernandez, and senior Sarah Port each earned singles victories, while the teams of Lozo-Nasser and Hernandez-Port claimed doubles wins. The “dominating” Jaguars even earned a spot on Bright House Sports Network for their performance.
The team has bolstered its record with wins against competitive opponents such as Tampa Prep, Berkeley Prep, and Tampa Catholic. Despite a close loss to Plant, Academy remains undefeated in district matches.
Just as the month of April opens next Monday, the Jags will open their district tournament, which they won last year. They will compete at Hillsborough Community College against Tampa Prep, Cambridge, Tampa Catholic, and Shorecrest and look to return to the top of the podium for the third year in a row.
Senior Regina Salup said, “We were excited to play at districts. I knew we had a good shot at winning and advancing to regionals and states again. We have a great team this year, and I am going to miss them so much next year.”
With four seniors departing next year, Sarah Port, Regina Salup, Cassidy Morrison, and Marigloria Maldonado, the tennis team hopes to claim a few more postseason titles and send the seniors off with an aced final season.
