Newsday's All-Long Island girls tennis team 2022
Longwood’s Victoria Matos during the NYSPHSAA girls tennis semifiinals in Schenectady, N.Y., on Oct. 28. Credit: Hans Pennink
Newsday Player of the Year: Victoria Matos, Longwood, Sr.
Matos has relentless ground strokes and the quickness to get to every ball, but her mental toughness makes her special. She won her second straight Suffolk individual singles title with a three-set victory after dropping the first set. She finished second at the state individual championships after winning a grueling three-set semifinal culminating in a 10-8 tiebreaker. Her season mark was 23-1.
Nassau Player of the Year: Nicolette Loeffler, Cold Spring Harbor, Sr.
Nicolette Loeffler of Cold Spring Harbor, plays in the first round of the NYSPHSAA girls tennis state championship tournament in Schenectady, N.Y., on Oct. 27. Credit: Tim Roske/Tim Roske
She was the complete package – a strong lefty serve, savvy style and strong will – and helped the Seahawks capture their first Nassau and Long Island small schools team title and reach the state championship match. Loeffler was 16-0 in team play, finished second at the Nassau individual singles championships and placed fifth in the state. Her season singles record was 23-2.
SINGLES
Clockwise, from top left: Anya Konopka of Smithtown East, Kira Kronenberg of Ward Melville, Nina Wiese of Garden City, Isabella Sha of Friends Academy.
Anya Konopka, Smithtown East, So.
She keyed Smithtown East’s run to the Suffolk County large schools team final by going 12-0 in singles. Konopka took third place at the county individual singles championships and reached the state’s Sweet 16. Her season mark was 22-2.
Kira Kronenberg, Ward Melville, Sr.
Kronenberg crafted a scintillating senior season by helping Ward Melville reach the team quarterfinals and then finishing second in the Suffolk Individual championships. She was 20-3 at singles.
Isabella Sha, Friends Academy, Sr.
She rode her precision game to a second straight Nassau individual singles championship and helped the Quakers reach the Nassau small schools final. She placed seventh at the state individual singles championships and finished the season with a 22-4 record.
Nina Wiese, Garden City, Jr.
Wiese (19-3) established herself as a force by taking third place in the Nassau individual championships and sixth place in the state individual singles championships.
DOUBLES
Clockwise, from top left: Ellie Ross and Dasha Perfiliev of Port Washington, Julia Stabile and Matilda Buchen of Westhampton, Madison Lee and Kira Diaz of Great Neck South, Ava Veneziano and Anika Tolat of Roslyn.
Dasha Perfiliev (Sr.) and Ellie Ross (Sr.), Port Washington
These Vikings capped spectacular high school careers by leading a late surge to the Nassau and Long Island large school team championships with their play at singles, Perfiiev going 13-5 and Ross going 14-5. They teamed to go 9-1 in individual doubles play, winning a third straight county crown and placing second in the state.
Matilda Buchen (So.) and Julia Stabile (Jr.), Westhampton
The Hurricanes tandem captured the Suffolk individual doubles championship and finished seventh in the state tournament. Westhampton reached the county large schools quarterfinals with Buchen and Stabile playing singles and going 17-1 and 18-0, respectively.
Anika Tolat (So.) and Ava Veneziano (Sr.), Roslyn
After Tolat (11-5) and Veneziano (8-7) helped the Bulldogs to the Nassau Large school quarterfinals, they teamed to finish third in the Nassau individual doubles championships and fourth in the state tournament.
Kira Diaz (Sr.) and Madison Lee (Fr.), Great Neck South
The Rebels pair finished third at the Nassau individual doubles championships and took third in the state tournament as well. GNS reached the county large schools quarterfinals with Diaz and Lee playing singles and going 13-2 and 12-3, respectively.
Coach of the Year: Melissa McLees, Cold Spring Harbor
The 17th-year coach steered the Seahawks (13-8) to their first Nassau and Long Island small schools championships and then to the state final.
SECOND TEAM
SINGLES
Nyla Gershfeld, Hewlett, Jr.
Nicolina, Giannola, St. Anthony’s, Sr.
Maria Perez, Middle Country, Jr.
Angel Walia, Herricks, So.
Emmy Winter, The Ross School, Sr.
DOUBLES
Emilia Romano (So.) and Ella Romano (Sr.), Bayport-Blue Point
Victoria Frangione (Sr.) and Isabella Frangione (Sr.), Harborfields,
Josie Rudloff (Jr.) and Aya Deckman (8th Grade), Harborfields
Diane Durante (Fr.) and Evangelina Vases (Fr.), Manhasset
Kyleigh McNulty (Sr.) and Peighton McNulty (So.), St. Anthony’s
Roger Rubin returned to Newsday in 2018 to write about high schools, colleges and baseball following 20 years at the Daily News. A Baseball Hall of Fame voter since 2011, he has covered 13 MLB postseasons and 14 NCAA Final Fours.
