Section 1 Tennis Crowns New Champions with Bronxville’s McEnroe, Scarsdale’s Cottrell and Ha

In a thrilling four-day tournament, Section 1 tennis has crowned its new champions. Victoria McEnroe from Bronxville and Kay Cottrell and Emma Ha from Scarsdale emerged victorious on Wednesday night in their respective categories.

With their sights set on the NYSPSHAA Tournament from Oct. 26-28, these talented players hope to carry their success to the state level and potentially claim the ultimate state title.

Bronxville’s McEnroe Shines in Third Attempt

Victoria McEnroe, a senior from Bronxville, had already won a state title last season but felt that something was missing. After enduring heartbreak in previous Section 1 singles tournaments, McEnroe made her way to the finals for the third consecutive year. This time, she refused to let victory slip through her fingers.

“Having played in this tournament for three years in a row and narrowly missing out on the title in the previous two, it’s truly special to finally come out on top,” McEnroe shared. She secured a 6-2, 6-2 victory over Eastchester’s Anselma Petrie in the Section 1 championship final.

Reflecting on the intense competition, McEnroe admitted, “Winning this tournament in my final year added some pressure, but it was also incredibly satisfying. With friends and supporters in the stands, it felt even more significant than the state championships. I’m thrilled with this victory.”

McEnroe dominated the tournament, winning all her matches in straight sets. As she sets her sights on the NYSPHSAA Tournament, she aims to successfully defend her title and sweep both the Section 1 and state championships.

Injury Intervenes in Scarsdale’s Doubles Championship Match

For Emma Ha and Kay Cottrell from Scarsdale, winning a section title had always been a dream. However, the finals match on Wednesday did not unfold as they had hoped. In the early stages of the match against the Ursuline duo of Savannah Minter and Chinonso Okpara, a collision resulted in Minter sustaining a knee injury. Despite her brave attempt to continue playing, Ursuline had to concede the match to Ha and Cottrell.

Reflecting on the bittersweet victory, Cottrell expressed her sympathies, “Winning in this manner was far from ideal − it was a sad situation. I used to play with Okpara, who is such a lovely person, and I felt genuinely sorry for Minter, who is an excellent player.”

With their focus now on the upcoming state tournament, Ha added, “Although the circumstances were unfortunate, we’re determined and ready for the state championships.”

The collision occurred when Okpara and Minter both went for the same ball, with Scarsdale holding a narrow 3-2 lead at that time. Ursuline’s duo had an impressive run to the finals as the No. 6 seed, including a remarkable comeback victory in the semifinals against Harrison’s second-seeded duo of Alexia Lansberg and Ines Xhayet.

Ursuline coach Ed Metzendorf expressed his disappointment at the injury, stating, “They defied expectations and won five matches. Unfortunately, getting hurt today was not the ending they deserved. We’ll now prepare for the state tournament and hope for the best. Savannah, who suffered the injury, should recover in time.”

Third-Place Matches

Charlene Dong from Scarsdale secured third place in the Section 1 singles tournament with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over her teammate Katie Kendall. In doubles play, Nishka Daga and Brinda Roy from Edgemont triumphed over Harrison’s Alexia Lansberg and Ines Xhayet with a convincing 6-3, 6-1 win.

Follow Eugene Rapay on Twitter: twitter.com/erapay5 and Instagram: instagram.com/byeugenerapay.

This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Girls tennis: Bronxville’s McEnroe, Scarsdale duo win section titles