Lady Palomino tennis duo are national champions

 

TUCSON – For the first time in the 35-year history of the Laredo Community College tennis program, a women’s duo has been named national champions.

New champions Loriane Dos Santos Favoretto and Jessica Mezo won the No. 1 doubles flight on Thursday, May 8 at the National Junior College Athletic Association women’s tennis national championship for Division 1.

Favoretto and Mezo became the first Lady Palominos to win a top national title for LCC after defeating the duo of Natalie Araya and Ana Djananova from Lee College of Baytown.

From a draw of 64 teams, the Lady Palomino duo lost the first set 2-6 before rebounding to capture the second and third sets, 6-0 and 6-4.

Jaime Donjuan, head coach of the LCC men’s and women’s tennis teams since 1997, said he is elated about the unique milestone Favoretto and Mezo have accomplished in the long history of the LCC tennis program, which entered the Texas JUCO Conference in 1973.

“Laredo Community College and the City of Laredo have a good reason to be proud of Loriane Favoretto and Jessica Mezo for being the first to bring to the city a special part of the national glory in junior college women’s tennis,” Donjuan said.

Other highlights of the national tournament included Mezo’s win in flight two singles over Priscilla Villemond of Tyler Junior College.  Mezo snared the top 2 flight with a convincing 6-0, 6-0 win.

Lady Palomino Cisse Drame reached the finals in flight 3 singles before falling to Stephanie Rodriguez of Lee by a score of 0-6, 6-7.

Donjuan looks forward to a brighter future next season with the Lady Palominos.

“I believe all eyes will be on LCC next spring when we return with Loriane Favoretto, who won earlier in the tournament the Rookie of the Year and Player to Watch awards, and a stronger team,” Donjuan said.

He noted how things turned around for LCC on the men’s side after former Palomino Alex Ortega captured the college’s first national win in 2004, which then was followed with three national junior college men’s tennis team championships.

“I’m hoping we can accomplish the same feat on the women’s side for LCC next year,” Donjuan said.

LCC finished the national tournament in seventh place, the highest position ever achieved in program history. 

The top three teams are Hillsborough, Tyler and Lee.

“Tyler was in the lead until Jessica Mezo defeated their No. 2 singles and finished second to Hillsborough by only one point,” Donjuan noted.

Donjuan and the Lady Palominos are expected to arrive back in town on Friday at 10:30 p.m. with almost no time to celebrate. 

Donjuan departs Laredo on Saturday at 9 a.m. to go to Plano with the Palomino men’s tennis team.  The Palomino men’s team will attempt to capture their fourth national championship title.