HOBOKEN, NJ – The Stevens Institute of Technology women’s tennis team earned a sweep of FDU-Florham, posting a 9-0 victory over the Devils Wednesday afternoon at the Stevens Tennis Courts. The win is the first of the season for Stevens (1-2) and the first victory for new head coach Steve Gachko.  

Sophomore Dana Bacalla (Portland, OR), the Skyline Conference Player of the Week, and junior Jin Bai (Edison, NJ) earned an 8-0 victory at No. 1 doubles over Heather Suboleski and Julie Hartnett of FDU. The freshmen duo of Whitney Bender (Tijeras, NM) and Rebecca Ryba (Old Brookville, NY) notched their second victory of the season together, registering an 8-1 win over Kathy Keyser and Katrina Musto at No. 2 doubles. Stevens completed the doubles sweep with an 8-3 win at the No. 3 spot as sophomore Jacqueline Carbone (Basking Ridge, NJ) and junior Vandita Shah (Bloomfield, NJ) downed Stephanie Blumenkehl and Vanessa Carroll of FDU.

Stevens continued its momentum in singles action, sweeping all six matches. Bacalla improved to 3-0 on the season, never surrendering a game en route to a 6-0, 6-0 victory over Suboleski at No. 1 singles. Bender rebounded from a 7-5 loss to Kristen Barnett in the opening set with a 6-2 win in the second set and a 12-10 victory in the tiebreaker to win her third match of the season at No. 2 doubles. Bai registered her first win of the season with a 6-3, 6-1 victory at the No. 3 spot. Ryba downed Keyser, 6-2, 6-3, at No. 4 singles, while Carbone earned a 7-5, 6-1 win at the No. 5 spot. Shah rounded out the Stevens sweep, rebounding from a 6-3 loss in the first set to even the match at a set apiece with a 6-2 win in the second set and pulled out the victory with a 10-8 victory in the tiebreaker.

The Ducks return to action Saturday, welcoming St. Joseph’s College to Hoboken for a 1 p.m. match at the Stevens Tennis Courts.   

Stevens 9, FDU-Florham 0

Doubles

No. 1    Dana Bacalla/Jin Bai def. Heather Suboleski/ Julie Hartnett (FDU), 8-0

No. 2    Whitney Bender/Rebecca Ryba (S) def. Kathy Keyser/ Katrina Musto (FDU), 8-1

No. 3    Jacqueline Carbone/Vandita Shah (S) def. Stephanie Blumenkehl/ Vanessa Carroll (FDU), 8-3

Singles

No. 1    Dana Bacalla (S) def. Heather Suboleski (FDU), 6-0, 6-0

No. 2    Whitney Bender (S) def. Julie Hartnett (FDU), 5-7, 6-2, (12-10)

No. 3    Jin Bai (S) def. Kristen Barnett (FDU), 6-3, 6-1

No. 4    Rebecca Ryba (S) def. Kathy Keyser (FDU), 6-2, 6-3

No. 5    Jacqueline Carbone (S) def. Katrina Musto (FDU), 7-5, 6-1

No. 6    Vandita Shah (S) def. Stephanie Blumenkehl (FDU), 3-6, 6-2, (10-8)