Ross School Wins Small School State Tennis Title
The girls tennis team swept Cazenovia 5-0 in the small school final to finish a perfect 20-0 season.
Updated on Nov. 7, 2026 in Tennis
Ross School's girls tennis team won the small school state championship on Friday, defeating Cazenovia (Section III) 5-0 at the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing. The top-seeded team completed a 20-0 season and earned the program's first small school state title.
Why it matters
The title marks the first small school state championship in Ross School's program history and caps an undefeated season. The win follows the team's first Suffolk title over five-time reigning champion Bayport-Blue Point.
Ross School swept all five matches 5-0 in the final and did not drop a game in four matches, with the third doubles pair of Chloe Stone and Zoe McDonald winning 6-3, 6-2 to clinch the title.
The players
Ross School
A New York school whose girls tennis team finished the season undefeated at 20-0 and won the small school state championship.
Richele LeSaldo
The coach of Ross School's girls tennis team, who credited her players' belief and confidence for the championship run.
The details
Ross School defeated Honeoye Falls-Lima 5-0 in the semifinal before beating Cazenovia 5-0 in the final. Coach Richele LeSaldo said her confidence in the players and steady reassurance throughout the season helped the team reach the title.
Timeline
Oct. 15: Ross School won its first Suffolk title by defeating Bayport-Blue Point.
Friday: Ross School captured the small school state championship at the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing.
Season Trajectory
Ross School's county win over Bayport-Blue Point, which ended that program's five-year reign, served as the turning point that convinced the team it could compete for a state title. The undefeated 20-0 season and first small school state championship place the program at the top of New York's small school girls tennis ranks.
The title run came after Ross School earned its first Suffolk championship on Oct. 15, a result that set up the state tournament berth. Readers following New York high school tennis can track the program's standings through the state association's postseason brackets.
The takeaway
Ross School's first state title shows how a county win over a long-dominant rival can shift a team's belief in its own ceiling. For New York small school tennis programs, sustained doubles depth proved decisive in a 5-0 final.
Further reading
Explore more New York Tennis coverage for context on the state's high school competition.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Newsday.
