Women's Tennis | 3/26/2026 7:30:00 AM

WEEKEND PREVIEW 
Entering this weekend with an overall record of 10-7, the Red Flash women's tennis team is in the midst of a five-match winning streak, having not lost to an NEC opponent since Feb. 15 in Hershey, Pennsylvania, against preseason favorite FDU. With the season approaching the home stretch, the Red Flash looks to continue this positive momentum in their next matchup against NEC foe Mercyhurst in a Friday night battle at the Westwood Racquet Club in Erie, Pennsylvania, starting at 5 p.m.

LAST TIME OUT  
Saint Francis women's tennis delivered a commanding 6-1 victory over LIU on Saturday, overcoming a rare setback in the doubles point by sweeping all six singles matches. Powered by strong performances across the lineup, the Red Flash showcased their depth and momentum in a key NEC matchup.

OPENING SERVE VS MERCYHURST  
Coming into this match with an overall record of 2-8, Mercyhurst was picked to finish last in the NEC during the annual preseason coaches' poll. The key player to watch on the court is senior Uliana Nedelko, who leads the team with an ITA ranking of 27.04.

THE LAST TIME WE MET ON THE COURT 
The last time these two teams faced each other was last season, when the Red Flash defeated the Lakers, 6-1, at Gorilla House Gym in Altoona. In that match, Kelly Dowuona secured a 6-3, 6-3 victory in the No. 3 position, improving her record to 23-11 for the year.

HEAD TO HEAD 
In the all-time head-to-head matchup, Saint Francis has never lost to Mercyhurst, winning all four matches since the Lakers joined the NEC. Within those four matches, the Red Flash has outscored the Erie-based team 20-8.

NEXT SERVE 
The Red Flash women's tennis team returns to action Wednesday, April 1, as it travels to face the Mountaineers of Mount St.Mary's at the Mount St.Mary's Tennis Courts in Emmitsburg, Maryland. The match is set to begin at 2 p.m.

AT THE HELM 
As head coach, Hovan continues his fifth season in Loretto. Very few words can describe his career other than "successful," as he's helped both the men's and women's teams reach 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.

PRESEASON POLL
Announced on Tuesday, Feb. 3, the Saint Francis women's tennis team was voted to finish second in the NEC preseason poll. FDU earned the unanimous No.1 spot. Behind the Red Flash were Le Moyne at No.3, LIU at No.4, and Wagner rounding out the top five at No. 5.

NATIONAL RECOGNITION IN THE LO'
On Nov.25 of 2025, the Saint Francis University women's tennis doubles team of Sophia Cunningham and Emma Marais earned national recognition from the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA), marking the program's first after going 6-1 in the fall slate of the 2025 season. As of this writing, the underclassmen duo is still the only NEC doubles team nationally ranked during the 2026-26 season.

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. As of Feb. 9, Dowuona is at 11-10, bringing her career total to 71 wins.

NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK 
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).