Women's Tennis | 1/23/2026 8:00:00 AM
Saturday, Jan. 24 | Eastern Michigan | Ebensburg, Pa. | Ebensburg Tennis Center | 2 p.m.
OPENING SERVE VS EASTERN MICHIGANÂ Â
The Saint Francis University women's tennis team returns home to the Ebensburg Tennis Center for the first time this season to face Eastern Michigan University in just its second meeting. The teams first met on Feb. 29, 2020, when the Red Flash lost to the Eagles, 5-2.
SCOUTING EASTERN MICHIGANÂ Â
Eastern Michigan has a roster primarily composed of youth, featuring eight players: four freshmen, two sophomores, one junior, and one senior. Looking back at the fall slate, freshman Pehal Kharadkar leads the team with eight wins.
NEXT TIME OUTÂ
 The women's tennis team is back in action Saturday, Jan. 31, as they host a dual match with the men's team against Colgate University at Gorilla House Gym in Altoona, Pennsylvania, at noon.
ABOUT THE COACH
Head coach 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 reach their second NEC Championship Game. Last season, the women's tennis team made the NEC Championship Game for the first time in program history.Â
NATIONAL RECOGNITION IN THE LO'Â
The Saint Francis University women's tennis doubles team of Sophia Cunningham and Emma Marais has earned a national ranking from the International Tennis Association, marking the first national ranking in program history. The tandem sits 81st in the country and is the only NEC duo in the rankings. The duo has been a dominant presence on the court, posting a 6-1 record and ending the fall season on a high note with four straight wins. Cunningham and Marais went 4-1 in tournament play and 2-0 in dual matches together.
ALL-TIME LEADERÂ
Senior Kelly Dowuona is the program's all-time leader in combined wins and, as of Friday, Sept. 6, the all-time leader in singles matches with 59 victories. Last season, she posted a 24-12 singles record and a 21-14 doubles record. Her 24 singles wins are tied for the second-most in a single season in program history, a record also achieved by Dasha Chichkina in 2024-25.
