Kennedy Girl’s Tennis Clinches Division Title

The Kennedy High School girls’ varsity tennis team wrapped up its regular season with a decisive 7-0 win over South Side High School on Oct. 5, completing an undefeated season.
“It was an incredible year, with fantastic play up and down the lineup,” said Coach Russell Lella.
Singles players Chloe Auyeung, Maya Magnuson and Emma Sipin all finished with winning records and competed fiercely in their matches. Senior doubles partners Lily Syska and Molly Laby anchored the fourth spot, while second doubles seniors Kayela Heaney and Alexis Malerba were nearly unbeatable, finishing the season with a 13-1 record.
First doubles partners Isabel Zeigler and Tatum Sosnik went undefeated as a pair, as did senior Natanya Winiarsky and Victoria Stekol at third doubles. A special shoutout goes to super sub Sydney Sklar, who stepped in at third singles, first doubles and other positions, finishing undefeated in all her matches.
Oct. 5 also marked Senior Day, when the team organized a special tribute to celebrate its graduating seniors, including Gabby Vayman and Julia Isaac, whose contributions were valued by the team.
“They brought a joy and enthusiasm to the courts that was contagious,” Lella added.
With an undefeated season in the books, the team earned the title of Division Champions for the first time since 2021.
While the team lost to Herricks High School in the playoff round, four players represented the team at the Nassau County Tennis Tournament on Saturday, Oct. 10.
Chloe Auyeung and Maya Magnuson won their first two matches over Freeport and Bethpage by identical 10-1 scores, then faced the #1 seeded Syosset team in the third round and held their own. Emma Sipin and Isabel Ziegler won their opening match 10-8 after a comeback, rallying from an 8-5 deficit with five straight games. In the second round, they led early against a strong Great Neck South team before falling 10-6.
