There was parity throughout Nassau Conference IV girls tennis, except when it came to Freeport.
The Red Devils were red hot all season and not only captured the conference title in undefeated fashion but barely dropped any courts along the way. In winning all 14 matches, their combined score was 90-8.
“We had a self-disciplined and self-motivated group of girls who understood the value of practice,” second-year coach Meagan Byrne said. “Last year we lost most of our matches and I credit the tough competition we faced for part of our advancement.”
Valley Stream South was conference runner-up with a mark of 12-2, with its only setbacks coming at the hands of Freeport. Malverne, at 10-4, was the only other team to post double-digit wins in the eight-team conference but every squad had at least two victories.
“Plenty of weeks we had three matches and not as much practice time as we’d like, but the girls made the most of every practice,” Byrne said. “They enjoyed their time together. Even on Labor Day, when we didn’t have practice they met at the courts on their own to play.”
Freeport’s singles lineup was comprised of sophomore Luciana Valero at No. 1, senior Amarachi Njoku at 2, and senior Izabella Abreu at 3.
Valero went 13-1. “Her biggest progressions were confidence and footwork,” Byrne said. “She plays outside of school and was our top singles player last year as well. She became more consistent with her shots and serve, and more aggressive coming to the net.”
Njoku has shown “astonishing growth in a short time,” Byrne noted, and won 11 of 13 matches. “She played doubles as a sophomore and third singles as a junior,” the coach said. “I’ve never saw anyone improve as quickly as she did. She has a calmness about her on the court and that came in handy with all the long matches she had. She used her height and wingspan to her advantage.”
Abreu was a doubles player in 2025 and elevated her game to the next level, going 9-4 as a first-time singles player. “She has great reflexes and hand-eye coordination,” Byrne said.
Freeport’s top doubles tandem for a second consecutive year consisted of seniors Yosari Calderon and Gabriela Perez. They went undefeated. “They operate so smoothly and were fun to watch,” Byrne said. “Both play badminton and their chemistry is great. They cover the entire court and communicate so well.”
At second doubles, it was freshman Emma Velez and senior Darly DeLeon. Velez has a strong chance to move into a singles spot next year, Byrne said. “They were the perfect pair because Emma is a strong baseliner and Darly is strong at the net,” she said.
At third doubles, senior Laiyla Salome-Diaz paired mostly with senior Alyssa Copeland but also with senior Emily Cordero. Either way, the outcome was often a success. The Red Devils used a rotation at fourth doubles.
“Last year’s challenges definitely shaped them,” Byrne said. “Everyone put the work in and it was exciting to get the results we were looking for.”
