Women's Tennis | 8/29/2025 9:05:00 AM

Saturday-Sunday, August 30-31 | Carnegie Mellon Invitational | Pittsburgh, Pa. | Carnegie Mellon Tennis Courts

OPENING SERVE
Saint Francis opens the 2025-26 season at the Carnegie Mellon Invitational in Pittsburgh on Saturday and Sunday. It will be the fourth-straight season the team will compete in the tournament.  

LAST TIME AT THAT EVENT
Saint Francis went 13-10 in singles matches and 6-10 in doubles matches at the Carnegie Mellon Invitational on August 30 to September 1. Diana Zuba, Dasha Chichkina, Sophia Cunningham, Lindsey Greb and Morgan Tuffs all went unbeaten in singles.  The tandem of Kelly Dowuona and Kally Kadzinski picked up right where they left off last season with four wins from four doubles matches throughout the tournament. The pair has now won seven of their last eight contests.

NEXT TIME OUT 
The Red Flash hits the road again on September 6 to 8 when the team competes at the annual Quinnipiac Invitational for the second straight season.

ALL-NEC PERFORMERS
Notable returning players include Freshman of the Year Dasha Chichkina, who was also named to the All-NEC first and All-NEC Rookie team. Reagen Mangan, who made the All-NEC second team in doubles.

ALL-TIME LEADER
Kelly Dowuona is the program's all-time career leader with 110 combined wins between doubles and singles. She finished with a 24-12 singles record and a 21-14 doubles record last season. The 24 singles wins are tied for the second most wins in a season in program history. Dasha Chichkina also finished with 24 singles wins in 2024-25.

ABOUT THE COACH
Head coach Eric Hovan begins his fifth season in Loretto and has helped both the men's and women's teams to new heights. In 2023-24, he was named NEC Coach of the Year after helping the men to its second appearance in the NEC Championship Game. Last season, the women's tennis team made the NEC Championship Game for the first time in program history.