FLUSHING, N.Y.  — The top-seeded Pratt Institute women's tennis team came up just short in the final of the 2026 City University of New York Athletic Conference (CUNYAC) Women's Tennis Championship, falling 4-2 to No. 2 seed Hunter College on Thursday afternoon at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.

The setback concluded the fall campaign for Pratt (9-1) and halted the program's 29-match dual winning streak that dated back to Oct. 15, 2024. Hunter (12-1) earned its third straight league title and the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

The Cannoneers opened the match by claiming the doubles point with victories on the top two courts. Judith Song (Sharon, Mass.) and sophomore Olivia Tao (Ann Arbor, Mich.) finished first with a 6-4 win at No. 2 doubles over Sara Novo and Apollinariia Stepanenko. Seniors Pallavi Verghese (Fayetteville, Ark.) and Beatrice Crespo (Kearny, N.J.) clinched the point on court one, defeating Isabella Tchij and Ana-maria Bichinashvili 6-4. Play at No. 3 doubles was halted with first-year Elva Yu (Spring, Texas) and sophomore Sophia Schafler (West Palm Beach, Fla.) leading 5-4.

Hunter responded in singles play, taking four of the five completed courts to collect its league-best 26th conference title. Stepanenko posted the first point for the Hawks with a 6-1, 6-3 win over Crespo at No. 2 singles.

Verghese briefly restored the lead for the black-and-gold at the top flight. The senior conceded just two games in a 6-1, 6-1 victory against Tchij at No. 1 singles to push Pratt ahead 2-1.

The Hawks took control on the remaining courts. Amber Lai defeated Yu 6-4, 6-3 at No. 5 singles, and Novo followed with a 6-4, 6-3 decision over Song at No. 3 singles to move Hunter within a point of the championship.

The overall title was clinched on court six. Schafler dropped her opening set to Aksamentova, but rebounded to force a third set before falling 6-2, 1-6, 6-3 to close out the match.

Court four also saw a hard-fought battle, with Tao leading Bichinashvili 6-3, 4-6, 4-3 when the overall match was clinched and play stopped. 

Pratt will return to the courts in March with their spring schedule to be announced.