By Pat Clines

Bradenton, Fla - The SCF tennis team (3-8, 2-4 Region 8) closed out the regular season on a good note as they defeated St. Pete College (4-5, 2-3 Region 8) 5-4 at the SCF Tennis Complex.

"Overall, the team did well to grind out a win over a gritty SPC team," said head coach Chloe Murphy. "While SPC only had four players, they competed hard and made us work for everything. It was nice getting two back-to-back conference wins for us on the plus side. It will really help us as it leads to states to give the girls some extra confidence.

Before the matches took place, Murphy recognized and honored her two sophomores for the season: Sakurako Suzuki and Elena Baughman Saunders.

"Sophomore day is always bittersweet," said Murphy. "It's fun to celebrate the sophomores, but definitely bittersweet knowing that was the last time watching them compete on our courts."

With the celebration over, doubles would commence. The Lady Titans only had four active players able to play. The duo of freshmen Alexis Dunlap and Natasha Beader would win at #3 doubles via forfeit. After Suzuki and Baughman Sanders fell 8-2 to sophomore Kanna Kobayakawa and freshman Alessia Ciampi at #1 doubles, the freshman duo of Ainara Vegal Rodriguez and Ainhoa Meili Fernandez Del Moral Perier defeated freshmen Kyoka Ueno and Ai Katsura 8-6 at #2 doubles to give the Manatees a 2-1 lead.

Singles play would then commence as Dunlap and Beader would win their matches via forfeit at #5 and #6 singles. Needing only one win in singles, Meili Fernandez Del Moral Perier would seal the deal as she defeated Ueno 6-4, 6-2 at #3 singles. Suzuki (4-6, 0-6 loss to Ciampi), Baughman Sanders (1-6, 3-6 loss to Katsura) and Vegal Rodriguez (5-7, 4-6 to Kobayakawa) would fall in their respected singles matches in the end.

Up Next:

The Manatees will have one more scrimmage with NAIA Keiser University before going states bound.