Oakton men’s tennis team heading to nationals

The Oakton Community College men’s tennis team punched its ticket to nationals by finishing third at the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Region IV Men’s Tennis Tournament, hosted by Moraine Valley Community College April 28-29. The 2017 NJCAA Division I Men’s Tennis Championship is scheduled to take place May 15-19 at Collins College in Plano, Texas.

The Owls secured two second place finishes in singles competition, helping the team to finish with 9.5 points. Robert Lazar (Herndon, Virginia, K12 International Academy, Switzerland) medaled in No. 1 play, and Norwegian native Tobias Koller was runner up in No. 6 action. Chris Lavengco (Des Plaines, Maine East High School) and Aidan Donald (Scarborough, Ontario, Canada, Sir Wilfrid Laurier Collegiate Institute) captured third respectively in No. 3 and No. 5 singles play. In No. 1 doubles, the team of Lazar and Peter Kloda (Des Plaines, Maine East High School) battled to a thrilling third-place finish in the tournament.

“Our team had quite the weekend and was focused as soon as it stepped on the court, as every point mattered,” said Kelly Johnson, Owls head coach. “We received an outstanding effort from the entire squad and are excited to be representing Oakton in nationals.”