Doubles Propels DePaul to Victory over Kennesaw State

Saturday, January 24

Bloomington, Ind.

10:00 AM

DePaul University

Kennesaw State

Doubles Propels DePaul to Victory over Kennesaw State

1/24/2026 4:08:00 PM | WOMEN'S TENNIS

Blue Demons secure doubles point for first time in dual season

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – DePaul women's tennis defeated the Kennesaw State Owls 6-1 in Bloomington, Ind. on Saturday afternoon, courtesy of the Blue Demons' double attack, which posted its first win of the 2026 dual campaign.

Match play got underway from the IU Tennis courts on the campus of Indiana at 10 a.m. CT. DePaul battled back after Kennesaw State took the early doubles advantage on court two. No. 3 doubles, Helin Alvarez and Roberta Sechi won 6-2, setting up a winner-take-all for the doubles point. Hannah Smith and Clara Nilsson edged the Owls' Ema Baraniakova/Sofia Madrid, 7-5 in slot one, securing the point for the Blue Demons.

In singles, Sasha Stula continued her winning ways on court one with a 6-1, 6-1 result, improving to 3-0.

Smith looked in a groove this afternoon against Madrid with a dominant 6-2, 6-1 victory in the second spot. The senior collected her first win of the dual season and moved the Blue Demons within a point of clinching the match.

Freshman Clara Nilsson took advantage of the opportunity to claim DePaul's first triumph of the season and of her collegiate career. The Malmö, Sweden native held an early 6-4 lead after set one. Nilsson added more in the second frame, winning 6-2 to clinch the match for the Blue Demons.

Kennesaw State secured court six, but the Scarlet and Blue finished the match firing on all cylinders.

First, Sechi played to a quick 6-1, 6-4 win on court five. Later, freshman Yasemin Pehlivan became the second Blue Demon of the day to take home her first collegiate victory with a 6-3, 7-6 (3) performance.

Match Score
DePaul 6, Kennesaw State 1
January 24, 2026
IU Tennis Center
Bloomington, Ind.

Doubles
Hannah Smith/Clara Nilsson (DPU) def. Ema Baraniakova/Sofia Madrid (KSU), 7-5
Laura Nadaska/Izabelle Persson (KSU) def. Sasha Stula/Yasemin Pehlivan (DPU), 6-2
Roberta Sechi/Helin Alvarez (DPU), def. Maria Ivankovic/Irene Serrano (KSU), 6-2

Singles
Sasha Stula (DPU) def. Ema Baraniakova (KSU), 6-1, 6-1
Hannah Smith (DPU) def. Sofia Madrid (KSU) , 6-2, 6-1
Clara Nilsson (DPU) def. Maria Ivankovic (KSU) 6-4, 6-2
Yasemin Pehlivan (DPU) def. Rianna Coresia (KSU), 6-3, 7-6 (3)
Roberta Sechi (DPU) def. Izabelle Persson (KSU), 6-1, 6-4
Irene Serrano (KSU) def. Helin Alvarez (DPU), 6-1, 6-4

Notes
DePaul 1-2
Kennesaw State 0-2
Order of finish: Doubles (2,3,1); Singles (1,2,3,6,5,4)

UP NEXT
DePaul takes home court for the first time this season on Friday, Jan. 30, against Omaha. First serve is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. CT at XS Tennis Village.

FOLLOW THE BLUE DEMONS
For all the latest information on DePaul Women's Tennis, visit DePaulBlueDemons.com. For up-to-the-minute updates, follow the Blue Demons on Facebook, Instagram, and X.