Women's Tennis | 4/18/2026 5:24:00 PM

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW 
For the first time in program history, Saint Francis women's tennis captured the NEC women's championship with a 4-0 win over top-seeded FDU on Saturday afternoon at the Mercer County Tennis Center in West Windsor, N.J. Freshman Helena Lynn now holds the program record for the most wins in a single season after earning her 28th victory with a 7-5, 6-4 decision.

HOW IT HAPPENED
In an action-packed match featuring many back-and-forth contests, the Red Flash completed a clean sweep of FDU when it mattered most. Saint Francis came out swinging during the doubles matches, with freshman Gabriela Almanza and junior Reagen Mangan being the first to finish, securing a 6-2 victory. The team of senior Kelly Dowuona and freshman Emma Marais closed out the doubles competition, winning 6-3 to earn the crucial doubles point and take a 1-0 lead.

In singles action, despite the Knights' attempts to battle back, Saint Francis remained in control. The first match to conclude came on court three, where Almanza secured her second victory of the day with a score of 6-3, 6-0. Although her opponent pushed the first set to a tiebreaker, Mangan claimed victory on court five with a score of 7-5, 6-4. In a fitting conclusion to the match, it all came down to Lynn, who, despite falling behind in the first set, rebounded in the second-set tiebreaker to clinch the championship for her team with a final score of 7-5, 6-4.

FLASH NUGGETS
In what is possibly one of the most memorable seasons in Saint Francis' tennis program history, Lynn capped off the historic victory with another significant achievement of her own. With today's win, the underclassman now holds the record for most wins in a single season, previously set by Diana Zuba.

FLASH QUOTES
After capturing their first NEC Championship and making their second consecutive finals appearance, Assistant Coach Philip Palko reflected on the milestone moment for the Saint Francis tennis program: "It's been a really amazing few days. It was special to be part of history," Palko said. "We've been stressing the importance of supporting one another as a team, and that was evident throughout the tournament."

NEXT TIME OUT 
Following today's historic win, Saint Francis women's tennis will now have to wait until Monday, April 27, for the NCAA selection show at 5:30 p.m. to find out who and where they'll be playing in the NCAA women's tennis tournament.