In a match that went the distance, it was the Oswego State women’s tennis team that prevailed over SUNY Oneonta to win the SUNYAC championship for the first time in program history.

Oswego’s season is one of interest after starting off 0-2; the Lakers will finish the fall regular season and conference playoffs on a win streak of 12 consecutive matches, but most importantly, they can finally call themselves champions of the SUNYAC after 56 years of waiting.

The second-ranked team in the SUNYAC, Oneonta, started strong in the doubles portion of the event by easily claiming the No. 1 match, as the second-best SUNYAC women’s tennis doubles duo, Annika Cripe and Haley Peck, defeated Leah Bell and Emily DeLuca, 6-0.

But it was Oswego who fought back and secured the doubles portion of the match by winning the majority of the three matches. Isabella Eason and Kate Hayes defeated Taylor Plue and Kiersten Rufrano, 6-3, at No. 2 doubles, while Avery Borman and Aubrey Salati earned a 6-4 victory over Dakota Jimenez and Ashley Glaviano in No. 3

The teams split the six singles matches. Emily DeLuca defeated Taylor Plue, 6-4, 6-4, at No. 3 singles, while Eason topped Rufrano in three sets, 6-2, 2-6, 6-1, at No. 4. Salati added a dominant 6-0, 6-0 win over Reagan Knapp at No. 6.

Oneonta earned singles victories at Nos. 1, 2, and 5. Haley Peck defeated Borman, 6-4, 6-3, at No. 1, while top rated SUNYAC singles player Cripe beat Bell, 6-3, 6-4, at No. 2. Jimenez secured the Red Dragons’ third singles point with a 6-0, 7-5 victory over Hayes at No. 5. Oswego’s three singles wins, combined with its doubles advantage, secured the 4-3 decision.

Eason was named the 2026 SUNYAC Women’s Tennis All-Tournament Most Valuable Player. At the end of the fall, Eason logged the second-best singles winning percentage at .846. The aforementioned Eason, Hayes, Salati, and  Borman earned all-tournament recognition in doubles. Salati and DeLuca were also named to the singles team alongside Oneonta’s Dakota Jimenez, Haley Peck and Annika Cripe.

The Lakers will advance to the Division III NCAA Championships following the completion of their spring season in May 2027.