Women’s Tennis Defeats Air Force for Silver Star

Saturday, February 14

Lake Nona, Fla.

5:00 p.m.

Army West Point

Air Force

Women’s Tennis Defeats Air Force for Silver Star

February 14, 2026 | Women's Tennis

LAKE NONA, Fla. – Army West Point women's tennis may have defeated Tampa one day earlier, but the big battle proved to be against rival Air Force on Saturday night under the Orlando lights.

Looking to win their third consecutive silver star over the Falcons at the USTA National Campus, the Black Knights gutted out multiple singles matches out to complete the 4-2 win, backed by a doubles point win early in the match.

Three completed matches went over two hours, with four total matches reaching a third set. Emily Ruckno recovered from a first set loss on singles court No. 4 to earn Army's first singles team point and level the match at 2-2. Just minutes later, Stacey Samonte won her third set 6-3 to make it 3-2 Black Knights.

With all eyes now glued to singles courts No. 2 and 5, it was a race between Ylan Duong and Vennmukiil Mathivanan to clinch. Mathivanan's match against Air Force's Sofia Mavor remained on serve deep into the final set, before Mavor notched a break to pull ahead.

However, that match would go unfinished, as Duong would finish her match over Nadia Kojonroj to complete the 4-2 team win, 6-3, 6-7 (1), 6-3. Duong had to rally back from 2-0 down early in the third set, winning six of the final seven games to prevail.

Army extends its winning streak to three in the rivalry series played every other year. Army's senior class will leave the program with a 2-0 record against the Falcons.

The full results from the weekend's matches are as follows.

Army 4, Tampa 0

Doubles

1. Madison Smith / Stacey Samonte (Army) def. Karine Kulidjian / Rebecca Presley (Tampa): 6-1
2. Emily Ruckno / Olivia Mellynchuk (Army) def. Mia Zorrilla / Nicole Casas (Tampa): 7-6
3. Vennmukiil Mathivanan / Ylan Duong (Army) def. Sophia Wagner / Alexandra Chebli (Tampa): 6-0

Singles

1. Emma Sy (Army) DNF vs. Rebecca Presley (Tampa): 6-2, 5-7
2. Olivia Mellynchuk (Army) def. Karine Kulidjian (Tampa): 7-5, 6-3
3. Olivia Manson (Army) def. Ida Axelsson (Tampa): 6-4, 6-3
4. Chelsie Son (Army) DNF vs. Linn Eriksson Sundling (Tampa): 3-6, 3-3
5. Alexandra Oshidar (Army) def. Gabriela Sanchez (Tampa): 6-2, 6-2
6. Allison Harris (Army) DNF vs. Maxence Lippens (Tampa): 7-6, 5-4

Army 4, Air Force 2

Doubles

1. Madison Smith / Stacey Samonte (Army) def. Arianna Vanhouweling / Shivaani Selvan (Air Force): 6-4
2. Abigale Cotuna / Sofia Mavor (Air Force) def. Emily Ruckno / Olivia Mellynchuk (Army): 6-0
3. Vennmukiil Mathivanan / Ylan Duong (Army) def. Nadia Kojonroj / Chaeyule Kang (Air Force): 6-3

Singles

1. Abigale Cotuna (Air Force) def. Madison Smith (Army): 6-4, 6-3
2. Vennmukiil Mathivanan (Army) DNF vs. Sofia Mavor (Air Force): 5-7, 6-3, 4-5
3. Arianna Vanhouweling (Air Force) def. Emma Sy (Army): 6-3, 6-2
4. Emily Ruckno (Army) def. Chaeyule Kang (Air Force): 4-6, 6-2, 6-2
5. Ylan Duong (Army) def. Nadia Kojonroj (Air Force): 6-3, 6-7 (1), 6-3
6. Stacey Samonte (Army) def. Shivaani Selvan (Air Force): 6-2, 2-6, 6-3

Next up

Army returns home next weekend, facing Marist at home February 21 and Quinnipiac at home February 22. The Black Knights will also travel to Rutgers on February 21.

Follow the Black Knights

Follow Army Women's Tennis on X @ArmyWP_WTennis and on Instagram @army_wptennis. Fans can also like Army West Point Athletics on Facebook and learn more about Women's Tennis and other programs at goarmywestpoint.com.