LAKELAND, Fla. – The Valdosta State men's and women's tennis teams have had strong starts to the 2024 ITA South Regionals, held at Florida Southern College. 
 
The Blazer men's team had five singles players reach the round of 16 which were scheduled for Monday.  The Blazer women's team had freshman newcomer Alyssa Novoa reached the quarterfinal round, before falling to Barry's Andrea Di Palma.  Check back on Tuesday for a complete recap of the championship.
 
On the men's side heading into Monday's action, sophomore Jerome Iaconi defeated Montevallo's Leo Lazarides 6-4, 6-2, while he also defeated Filipe Krohn de Silva of Lee, setting up a round of 16 match with Safar Rasulov of Embry-Riddle.
 
Senior Takeshi Taco, seeded third, defeated Jami Savolainen of Auburn Montgomery, 6-3, 6-4, and defeated Leo Caill of Barry, 4-6, 6-2, 10-1 for a matchup with Albin Ekenros of West Florida, while junior Jan Skerbatis defeated Fabian Gusic of Rollins, 6-2, 7-5 and upset No. 4-seed Adam Lynch of Barry, 6-3, 6-1 for a matchup with Eita Ishikawa of West Alabama.
 
Blazer senior newcomer Edgar Destouet defeated Simon Luigs of Montevallo, 6-1, 6-2, while he upended Samuel Frizelle of Florida Southern, 4-6, 6-3, ret.) and faced Yan Kojoed of Barry on Monday.  No. 2-seeded senior Bourch Skierkier defeated Hugo Blasco of Spring Hill, 6-1, 6-1, while he won by retirement over Paul Sobich of Montevallo setting a matchup with Dominik Vonbank of Auburn Montgomery.
 
In doubles, Blazer tandem of Taco and senior Xaveam Van Wijk reached the round of 16 with wins over Embry-Riddle (8-2) and Rollins (8-4) setting up a matchup with Dylan Kamel/Luis Gobbi Brandao of Montevallo.  Skierkier and Skerbatis dropped two matches in doubles, while newcomer tandem of graduate student Arthur Bord and Destouet downed Matthew Hewitt/Mehmet Onur Turgut of Florida Southern 8-4 and lost to Sebastien Rondon and Diego Duran of West Florida, 8-6. 
 
For the women, Novoa defeated Beatriz Costa of Florida Southern 7-6 (7-5), 7-5 and won 6-1, 6-7 (4-7), 10-4 over Isabella Ciancaglini of Nova Southeastern, before falling to Di Palma, 6-0, 6-3.  Senior Kayla Greco dropped two matches, while senior Olivia Pezo dropped her first match to No. 5-sd Ashleigh Simes of Lee, 7-5, 6-3, before winning over Romina Kroemer of Spring Hill, 8-0.  Pezo the lost to Rocio Martinez Azcarraga of Mississippi College, 8-3.
 
In doubles, the Blazer women's team saw tandem of sophomore Natalie Rainke and senior Lea Cakarevic win their first match over Aline Midori/Alberte Joergensen of West Florida, 8-2, before losing to Di Palma and Viktoriia Dema of Barry.   Greco/Pezo dropped their first doubles match, but have a consolation match versus Carla Cabero Del Hierro and Benedetta Sensi of Embry-Riddle on tap. 
 
 
Men's Singles
#9 Jerome Iaconi (Valdosta State) def. Leo Lazarides (Montevallo) 6-4, 6-2
#9 Jerome Iaconi (Valdosta State) def. Filipe Krohn de Silva (Lee) 6-1, 6-2
#9 Jerome Iaconi vs. #5 Safar Rasulov (Embry-Riddle)
 
#3 Takeshi Taco (Valdosta State) def. Jami Savolainen (Auburn Montgomery) 6-3, 6-4
#3 Takeshi Taco (Valdosta State) def. Leo Caill (Barry) 4-6, 6-2, 10-1
#3 Takeshi Taco (Valdosta State) vs. Albin Ekenros (West Florida)
 
Jan Skerbatis (Valdosta State) def. Fabian Gusic (Rollins) 6-2, 7-5
Jan Skerbatis (Valdosta State) def. #4 Adam Lynch (Barry) 6-3, 6-1
Jan Skerbatis (Valdosta State) vs. Eita Ishikawa (West Alabama)
 
Edgar Destouet (Valdosta State) def. Simon Luigs (Montevallo) 6-1, 6-2
Edgar Destouet (Valdosta State) def. Samuel Frizelle (Florida Southern) 4-6, 6-3, ret.)
Edgar Destouet (Valdosta State) vs. Yan Kodjoed (Barry)
 
#2 Boruch Skierkier (Valdosta State) def. Hugo Blasco (Spring Hill) 6-1, 6-1
#2 Boruch Skierkier (Valdosta State) def Paul Sobich (Montevallo) WO (inj.)
#2 Boruch Skierkier (Valdosta State) vs. Dominik Vonbank (Auburn Montgomery)
 
 
Men's Doubles
Taco/Van Wijk (Valdosta State) def. Enrico Rosellini/Michele Ifftimie (Embry-Riddle (8-2)
Taco/Van Wijk (Valdosta State) def. #1 Richard Stoiberer/Luke Quaynor (Rollins) 8-4
Taco/Van Wijk (Valdosta State) vs. Dylan Kamel/Luiz Gobbi Brandao (Montevallo)
 
Kodai Kato/Jose David Segovia Perez (Saint Leo) def. Boruch Skierkier/Jan Skerbatis 8-7 (7-4)
Dominik Vonbank/Raphael Pertusier (Auburn Montgomery) def. Skierkier/Skerbatis  (Valdosta State) WO (inj.)
 
Arthur Bord/Edgar Destouet (Valdosta State) def. Matthew Hewitt/Mehmet Onur Turgut (Florida Southern (8-4)
Sebastian Rondon/Diego Duran (West Florida) def. Bord/Destouet (Valdosta State) 8-6
 
Women's Singles
Natalie Rainke (Valdosta State) def. Nahia Izco (Auburn Montgomery) 4-6, 6-4, 10-8
Angela Leweurs (Barry) def. Natalie Rainke (Valdosta State) 4-6, 6-3, 10-2
 
Alyssa Novoa (Valdosta State) def. Beatriz Costa (Florida Southern) 7-6 (7-5), 7-5
Alyssa Novoa (Valdosta State) def. #9 Isabella Ciancaglini (Nova Southeastern) 6-1, 6-7 (4-7), 10-4
#4 Andrea Di Palma (Barry) def. Alyssa Novoa (Valdosta State) 6-0, 6-3
 
Lea Cakarevic (Valdosta State) def. Zofia Podbiol (Lynn) 5-2 (ret. Inj.)
#9 Emma Roberts (Mississippi College) def. Lea Cakarevic (Valdosta State) 6-3, 6-4
 
Mariia Vyshkina (Lynn) def. Kayla Greco (Valdosta State) 6-2, 6-0
Ronja Scheuermann (Florida Southern) def. Kayla Greco (Valdosta State) 8-4
 
#5 Ashleigh Simes (Lee) def. Olivia Pezo (Valdosta State) 7-5, 6-3
Olivia Pezo (Valdosta State) def. Romina Kroemer (Spring Hill) 8-0
Rocio Martinez Azcarraga (Mississippi College) def. Olivia Pezo (Valdosta State) 8-3
 
Women's Doubles
Zofia Podbiol/Kristin Younes (Lynn) def. Kayla Greco/Olivia Pezo (Valdosta State) 8-2
Kayla Greco/Olivia Pezo (Valdosta State) vs. Carla Cabero Del Hierro/Benedetta Sensi (Embry-Riddle)
 
Natalie Rainke/Lea Cakarevic (Valdosta State) def. Aline Midori/Alberte Joergensen (West Florida) 8-2
Andrea Di Palma/Viktoriia Dema (Barry) def. Rainke/Cakarevic (Valdosta State) 8-0