Sechi Shines as DePaul Falls at FIU

Wednesday, March 25

Miami, FL

11:00 AM

DePaul University

Florida International

3/25/2026 4:25:00 PM | WOMEN'S TENNIS

6-1 loss ends five match unbeaten streak, Blue Demons now set sights on FAU

MIAMI, FLA. – DePaul women's tennis dropped a match for the first time in a month against Florida International, 6-1, on Wednesday afternoon. PayCargo Tennis Center hosted the bout, as the Blue Demons were defeated for the first time since facing Missouri on Feb. 24. DePaul is now 10-7 on the season and 6-0 in BIG EAST play, while FIU reaches 6-7.

Doubles play started off strongly for the Blue Demons, with Roberta Sechi and Helin Alvarez making quick work of their opposition, 6-0, on court No. 3. The two remaining duels proved arduous, with both battles entering tiebreaks after back-and-forth action. Hannah Smith and Clara Nilsson fell 6-7(7) on court No. 1, and the tandem of Sasha Stula and Eleanor Cochran lost 6-7(3) on No. 2, giving the Panthers the doubles point.

The singles portion proved just as tightly contested as doubles, with all but one set being decided by a margin of three games or fewer. DePaul's Stula was the first to falter, 4-6, 1-6, followed shortly thereafter by Yasemin Pehlivan in a 5-7, 4-6 fixture, leaving the Panthers within one point of clinching the match.

The Blue Demons battled hard through the rest of their matches, with all entering third sets to decide a victor. Despite the efforts, FIU took courts No. 2, 5, and 6, while Sechi followed up her dominant doubles triumph with a singles success, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 on No. 4 court. The Italian junior has thrived for DePaul this year, with this result improving her to 13-4 in 2026.

Final Results
Florida International 6, DePaul 1
March 25, 2026
PayCargo Tennis Center - Miami, Fla.

Doubles
1. Katerina Mandelikova/Viktorie Hazmukova (FIU) def. Hannah Smith/Clara Nilsson (DPU) 7-6(7)
2. Jelena Vico/Vittoria Baccino (FIU) vs. Eleanor Cochran/Sasha Stula (DPU) 7-6(3)
3. Helin Alvarez/Roberta Sechi (DPU) def. Maria Lucia Araoz-Gosn/Aleksandra Simeva (FIU) 6-0

Singles
1. Katerina Mandelikova (FIU) def. Sasha Stula (DPU) 6-4, 6-1
2. Jelena Vico (FIU) def. Hannah Smith (DPU) 3-6, 6-3, 6-3
3. Vittoria Baccino (FIU) def. Yasemin Pehlivan (DPU) 7-5, 6-4
4. Roberta Sechi (DPU) def. Maria Lucia Araoz-Gosn (FIU) 3-6, 6-3, 6-4
5. Viktorie Hazmukova (FIU) def. Clara Nilsson (DPU) 6-3, 5-7, 6-4
6. Aleksandra Simeva (FIU) def. Helin Alvarez (DPU) 3-6, 6-3, 6-3

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

UP NEXT
DePaul returns to Chicago, hosting Xavier at XS Tennis Village on April 4 for a Saturday morning skirmish.