Head coach John Collins secured his first win as head coach in a match where five UNF freshmen saw action, and the UNF Men’s Tennis team opened its spring season with a 4-3 win over the University of Troy Trojans on a frigid, windy, and overcast Saturday afternoon at the newly renovated UNF Tennis Complex. 

UNF clinched doubles play after two completed matches, with the tag team of sixth-year senior Bruno Vietri and freshman Gianluca Filoramo taking the first match, 6-4. The second match, which included freshman Joao Portugal and ASUN tournament MVP Andreas Scott, secured the doubles point for UNF. 

Leading 1-0, the Ospreys were ready for singles play, the segment of college tennis meets that decides most of the points. During singles play, six matches are going on simultaneously, leading to non-stop action for the 50 spectators in attendance. 

Troy evened up the score at one after opening singles play with a win over freshman Jean Deloziere. The Ospreys continued to show fight by snatching the lead back when leader, Scott, swept his singles match. UNF extended its lead after St. Augustine native Chase Healey won a three-setter despite losing the opening set. 

Sophomore Youssef Labbene clinched the victory for UNF, defeating his opponent in straight sets. The last two matches went to Troy, but it didn’t matter because UNF took four of the first five points. 

Postgame Reaction/Event Experience

Following the meet, first-year head coach Collins credited his young team’s ability to bounce back after losing the opening matches in doubles and singles. 

“Like I said, Troy’s a good team and we didn’t start as well as we should’ve,” Collins said. “We just got ugly with it and kept trying and found a way to stay in there.”

Collins also finds close matches to be great experience builders for the freshman. 

“To be in these close matches is a great experience for us,” Collins said. “We had five freshman play today, so to find a way to win is pretty incredible.”

UNF’s new tennis facility brings an intimate, yet modern feel to college tennis. When fans attend these matches, they are right on top of the action, and can hear the sights and sounds of a college tennis match. Overall, Coach Collins is impressed with North Florida’s new tennis grounds. 

“We love playing at home, we love our facility,” Collins said. “[UNF] just redid the courts and we finally got the scoreboards working, we’ve got great support staff here so it’s a great place to call home.”

UNF will stay at its “great” home and host Florida Atlantic next Saturday at 1 p.m.