Women's Tennis | 4/17/2026 3:41:00 PM

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW 
Second-seeded Saint Francis women's tennis advanced to the NEC women's tennis final after a 4-0 victory over sixth-seeded Le Moyne on Friday morning at the Mercer County Tennis Center in West Windsor, N.J. Freshman Helena Lynn tied the program record for most wins in a single season with her 6-4, 6-0 victory

HOW IT HAPPENED
In another exciting matchup, Saint Francis did what it does best, capturing the critical doubles point. On court two, Le Moyne never stood a chance against the duo of senior Kelly Dowuona and freshman Emma Marais, who won their match easily, 6-2. The point-clinching match came on court three, where, in a back-and-forth affair, junior Reagen Mangan and freshman Gabriela Almanza pulled away from their Le Moyne opponents, winning 6-3.

With the cards now in their favor, Saint Francis continued its winning ways in singles action, winning three straight matches to seal the victory for the Red Flash. Dowuona won her 20th match of the year, 6-1, 6-3. Mangan had a decisive win on court five, defeating her Le Moyne opponent, 6-0, 6-2. The victory-clinching match came on court four, featuring freshman Helena Lynn, who closed it out with a 6-4, 6-0 win to complete the 4-0 shutout.

FLASH NUGGETS
Not even a week after breaking the record for most wins by a freshman in a single season, Lynn has now officially tied the program record for wins in a single season by any player, set by Diana Zuba last season, with 27 total wins.

FLASH QUOTES
Following the victory over Le Moyne, Head Coach Eric Hovan and Assistant Coach Philip Palko shared their thoughts on returning to the NEC Finals.

"It's really exciting to be playing for a conference championship. Our girls are competing well and playing at a high level through the first two rounds," Hovan said. "FDU is a really good team, but so are we. It's going to be a fun match to be a part of."

Palko echoed that sentiment, emphasizing the team's recent progress and how long this moment has been in the making.

"The team has had a really solid last few weeks in terms of both team and individual results. Everyone has worked hard, and it's going to be great to bring home one last NEC trophy," Palko said.

NEXT TIME OUT 
Following today's victory, Saint Francis will advance to the Final round of the tournament for the second time in program history to take on first-seed FDU  tomorrow, April 18, with a 10 a.m. start.