Women's Tennis | 2/6/2026 12:51:00 AM
Saturday, Feb. 7 | Le Moyne | Altoona, Pa. | Gorilla House Tennis Center | 12 p.m.
Sunday, Feb.8 | Duquesne | Pittsburgh, Pa. | Oxford Athletic Club | 2 p.m.
OPENING SERVE VS LE MOYNE
The Saint Francis University women's tennis team opens the weekend with a home match against the Le Moyne Dolphins at the Gorilla House Gym in Altoona, Pennsylvania. This is just the third meeting between the two programs, with the Red Flash winning each previous encounter.
SCOUTING THE DOLPHINS
Le Moyne, under recently hired coach Jameson Keppeler, fields a lineup primarily composed of upperclassmen. Their top singles competitors are junior Ella Fernando and senior Emma Sanchez Jimenez, both of whom qualified for and competed in the ITA New England Regional Championship.
OPENING SERVE VS DUQUESNE
The following day, the Red Flash will travel to Pittsburgh to face the Duquesne Dukes in a midday matchup. This marks the 11th meeting between the two teams since the 2012 season, with Saint Francis still seeking its first victory against Duquesne in program history.
SCOUTING THE DUKES
Duquesne's top singles player is senior Jasa Roka, who recorded a 9-10 doubles record and a 7-12 singles record last season. Earlier this year, she earned a spot on the CSC Academic All-District team for the second time in her career.
NEXT TIME OUT
The women's tennis team is back in action Friday, Feb. 13, as the Red Flash travel to Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, to face Bucknell at the Central PA Tennis Center, scheduled for a 6 p.m. start.
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.
FRESHMEN ROLL CALL
While the Red Flash women's tennis team boasts experience from last year's championship team, Coach Hovan and Assistant Coach Palko added four first-year players: Gabriela Almanza (Orlando, Florida/Lake Nona), Helena Lynn (Bethlehem, Pennsylvania/Mother Divine Grace), Emma Marais (Lodi, California/Vista Oaks Charter), and Julia Ritchey (Roaring Spring, Pennsylvania/Central).
FLASH QUOTES
Following the hard-fought 6-1 victory over Colgate, Assistant Coach Phil Palko reflected on the team's growth since the start of the season.
"I think the Colgate match was a solid team effort for the women's team. We emphasized winning the doubles point and the second and third sets, and we delivered. The three freshmen starters (Almanza, Lynn, and Marais) all picked up singles wins, which is a nice accomplishment. We have significant growth potential, so we can continue improving."
