St. John's University Athletics
St. John’s Drops Season Opener at Florida Gulf Coast, 4-3
1/16/2026 3:31:00 PM | Women's Tennis
The Johnnies will face Miami Ohio on Sunday in Fort Meyers
FORT MEYERS, Fla. – The St. John's women's tennis team (0-1) narrowly fell to Florida Gulf Coast (1-0), 4-3, on Friday at the FGCU Tennis Complex.
After FGCU claimed the doubles point, 2–1, the Red Storm battled back in singles, capturing three matches and applying pressure throughout the lineup. St. John's effort came up just short, as the early doubles edge ultimately made the difference.
Alicia Gomez led the way for the Red Storm, earning victories in both matches she competed in. Paired with Abi Redman in doubles, the duo secured a 7–5 win over FGCU's Ashley Matz and Sabrina Jaramillo. The graduate student captain carried that momentum into singles play, defeating Cecili Johannessen Maeland, 6–3, 7–6 (8-6), to deliver the Red Storm's first singles point and even the score at 1–1.
After FGCU regained the lead with a win on the no. 3 singles court to make it 2–1, Nao Kojima answered with a straight-set victory on the no. 4 court to even the match at 2–2. The teams continued to trade points, as FGCU moved back in front, 3–2, with a decision on the No. 1 court. Noemi Babikova responded for the Red Storm, capturing a thrilling three-set victory over Ashley Matz, 6–1, 5–7, 6–3, on the no. 2 court to once again level the score. The match ultimately came down to the no. 5 court, where the Eagles secured the deciding point to clinch a 4–3 victory.
The Johnnies return to action on Sunday in Fort Myers, Fla., as they take on Miami Ohio. First serve is scheduled for 10 a.m. at the FGCU Tennis Complex.
Players Mentioned
