Women's Tennis | 1/30/2026 8:00:00 AM
Jan. 31 | Colgate | Altoona, Pa. | Gorilla House Tennis Center | 12 p.m.
OPENING SERVE VS COLGATE
The Saint Francis University women's tennis team returns home to its alternate site, just a stone's throw away at the Gorilla House Gym in Altoona, Pennsylvania. The last time these two teams met was in 2024, when the Red Flash swept the Raiders, 7-0. Saint Francis claimed the doubles point with 6-1 and 6-3 wins at the No. 2 and No. 3 slots, while in singles action, the Red Flash won all six matches against the Raiders. This will be just the fifth time these teams have faced off since the 2014 season.
SCOUTING COLGATE
Colgate boasts a lineup filled with experience, highlighted by senior captain Amelia Galin and junior Sophia Montero, who went undefeated in doubles action during the fall slate and won the Carousel Classic doubles title in early September.
NEXT TIME OUT
The women's tennis team is back in action Saturday, Feb. 7, hosting another dual match with the men's team, this time against NEC opponent Le Moyne College. The game will take place at noon at Gorilla House Gym in Altoona, Pennsylvania.
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.
NATIONAL RECOGNITION IN THE LO'
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 LEADER
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.
