John Jay girls finish strong at Section 1 tennis championship tournament

Blinera Tetaj returns serve. Lauren Metro makes a forehand shot at the net. Penny Hill lunges for a backhand return in singles match. Greg Kaplowitz photos

By JIM MACLEAN 

It was another successful season for the John Jay girls varsity tennis tournament and the Wolves capped it off with two singles players and one doubles team earning the right to compete in the Section 1 Championship Tournament played over the course of four days at Harrison High School.

On the first day of the tournament Saturday, Oct. 11, John Jay’s Penny Hill and Lauren Metro took to the court as part of the singles tournament, while Blinera Tetaj and Sophie Inana teamed up to compete in doubles.

Hill has been leading the way for the Wolves all season long as the number one singles player, and the senior captain made the most of her opportunity competing against the top player from each school. She had a bye in the first round of the tournament, and in the second round Hill defeated Anna Gatta of Arlington by a score of 7-5, 6-0. Hill then advanced to the third round where she suffered a 6-0, 6-2 setback to Victoria Szostak of Hen Hud.

Metro was the second singles player for John Jay all season long and she also qualified to compete in the singles tournament. Metro opened the tournament with a 10-2 win over Sara Welter of Irvington in the first round, and she then suffered a 6-2, 6-1 loss to Kate Sims of Pleasantville in the second round.

Tetaj and Inana were the number one doubles team for John Jay throughout the season, and they earned the chance to compete in the doubles draw of the championship tournament at Harrison. In the first round, Tetaj and Inana teamed up for a 6-1, 1-1 (injury default) victory over Lorena Melendez and Morgan McKenna of John Jay/East Fishkill. In the second round, Tetaj and Inana squared off against Sophie Landa and Arabella Succar of Scarsdale and suffered a 6-2, 7-6 defeat.