JACKSONVILLE (April 18, 2025) – The University of North Alabama men's tennis team clinched its first Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament Final appearance Friday afternoon in Jacksonville with a 4-2 semifinal win over the North Florida Ospreys.
The opening action for the top-seeded Lions was a battle, with the No. 5 Ospreys taking on UNA on home soil. From the first serve, North Alabama and North Florida engaged in a competitive bout with all three doubles court deciding who got the early advantage. The Ospreys would take the top flight, but victories from the second and third courts gave the Lions the one-point lead heading into singles play.
The action stayed competitive in singles, with the two teams splitting the opening four contests with two wins each. With the final two matches in coming down to three sets, the Lions broke through and advanced to their first tournament final with freshman Satoru Nakajima's win from court five.
The Lions will now play No. 2 Stetson for the conference tournament crown on Saturday, April 19 at 9 a.m. CT. The dual will also be live streamed on ESPN+.
Sophomore Alberto Altur and Nakajima led the Lions in the triumph over the Ospreys, securing respective single and doubles victories. Nakajima tallied the first doubles win with junior Lachlan Brain while Altur and sophomore Izan Orgiles nabbed the deciding doubles point. Altur went on to win the second singles match for UNA before Nakajima won the dual for the Lions. Senior Nazar Fedoryshyn also secured UNA's first singles win to round out the afternoon.
Action in Jacksonville began with Brain and Nakajima starting fast with a 6-1 court three victory over the Ospreys' Lorenzo Messina and Gianluca Filoramo. North Florida responded with a court-one win, equaling the victories in doubles play, but the Lions' Altur and Orgiles fended off Jean Deloziere and Joao Portugal from court two in a 6-4 victory.
Singles play began with North Florida bouncing back to tie the dual with a court-two victory. UNA's Fedoryshyn answered back for the team's second point, defeating Chase Healey on court six, 6-0, 3-6, 6-2. Altur gave the Lions a two-point cushion with his 6-3, 3-6, 6-2 win from court three over Youssef Labbene.
Needing a response, the Ospreys won a second point thanks to a victory from the top flight. The next point won would be the deciding one, with UNA's Nakajima defeating North Florida's Portugal. He overcame a dropped first set to rebound and clinch the championship appearance for North Alabama in a 3-6, 6-4, 6-2 win.
North Alabama 4, North Florida 2
Doubles
1. Andreas Scott/Bruno Vietri (UNF) def. Nazar Fedoryshyn/Birtan Duran (UNA), 6-2
2. Alberto Altur/Izan Orgiles (UNA) def. Jean Deloziere/Joao Portugal (UNF), 6-4
3. Lachlan Brain/Satoru Nakajima (UNA) def. Lorenzo Messina/Gianluca Filoramo (UNF), 6-1
Order of Finish: (3,1,2)
Singles
1. Andreas Scott (UNF) def. Lachlan Brain (UNA), 4-6, 6-0, 6-3
2. Bruno Vietri (UNF) def. Izan Orgiles (UNA), 6-4, 6-0
3. Alberto Altur (UNA) def. Youssef Labbene (UNF), 6-3, 3-6, 6-2
4. Birtan Duran (UNA) vs. Jean Deloziere (UNF), 4-6, 7-5, 5-4, unfinished
5. Satoru Nakajima (UNA) def. Joao Portugal (UNF), 3-6, 6-4, 6-2
6. Nazar Fedoryshyn (UNA) def. Chase Healey (UNF), 6-0,3-6, 6-2
Order of Finish: (2,6,3,1,5)
Match Notes
North Alabama: 19-3
North Florida: 8-17
For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
