DePaul Outlasts St. John’s in Back-and-Forth Bout

Friday, March 13

Queens, NY

11:15 AM

DePaul University

St. John's University

DePaul Outlasts St. John’s in Back-and-Forth Bout

3/13/2026 8:43:00 PM | WOMEN'S TENNIS

Blue Demon determination ignites multiple comebacks from match point down

QUEENS, N.Y. – On Friday afternoon, DePaul women's tennis took down St. John's 5-2 in a marathon of a matchup, with all deciding courts requiring full third-set tiebreaks. The result moves the Blue Demons to 9-6 on the year, and drops the Red Storm to a 9-5 tally. Held at the USTA National Tennis Center, the outcome extends DePaul's winning streak to four games, and improves the Blue Demons to 5-0 in BIG EAST play.

Doubles play kicked off with a rare loss for the tandem of Clara Nilsson and Hannah Smith, only their third shortcoming of the season. DePaul quickly responded with two wins from courts Nos. 2 and 3, with Sasha Stula and Eleanor Cochran prevailing 6-3, and the duo of Helin Alvarez and Roberta Sechi triumphing 7-5.

After conceding the doubles point, St. John's swiftly responded, collecting the first two points of singles play. Trailing 2-1, the Blue Demons sought a timely answer – and Stula delivered, earning a 6-3, 7-6(1) takedown of court No. 1. Nilsson avenged her doubles setback with a lengthy 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 success on court No. 5, taking DePaul to within one point of an overall match victory.

Alvarez and Sechi clinched the doubles point for the Blue Demons, and now both had the opportunity to clinch the match for DePaul with a singles win. Both battles entered third sets, and both players faced match points while trailing 5-6, 40-40, but both Blue Demons came up clutch, prevailing in tiebreaks. Alvarez sealed the result with a 7-4 third set tiebreak victory, and Sechi followed up with a 7-3 outcome.

Final Results
DePaul 5, St. John's 2
March 13, 2026
USTA National Tennis Center - Queens, N.Y.

Doubles
1. Abi Redman/Alicia Gomez (SJU) def. Clara Nilsson/Hannah Smith (DPU) 6-3
2. Eleanor Cochran/Sasha Stula (DPU) def. Neomi Babikova/Victoria Papadopoulou (SJU) 6-3
3. Helin Alvarez/Roberta Sechi (DPU) def. Giulia Bizzari/Charlotta Buss (SJU) 7-5

Singles
1. Sasha Stula (DPU) def. Victoria Papadopoulou (SJU) 6-3, 7-6(1)
2. Neomi Babikova (SJU) def. Hannah Smith (DPU) 6-0, 6-4
3. Nao Kojima (SJU) def. Yasemin Pehlivan (DPU) 6-4, 6-0
4. Roberta Sechi (DPU) def. Abi Redman (SJU) 2-6, 6-4, 7-6(3)
5. Clara Nilsson (DPU) def. Charlotta Buss (SJU) 6-4, 4-6, 6-3
6. Helin Alvarez (DPU) def. Giulia Bizzari (SJU) 6-3, 4-6, 7-6(4)

Order of Finish
Doubles: 1-2-3
Singles: 3-2-1-5-6-4

UP NEXT
Women's tennis travels south to Florida, taking on Florida International and Florida Atlantic on March 25 and 27, respectively.

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