HOBOKEN, NJ – The Stevens Institute of Technology women’s tennis team opened Skyline Conference play with its second-consecutive 9-0 victory, downing St. Joseph’s College Saturday afternoon on the Stevens Tennis Courts in Hoboken, NJ. The Ducks even their overall record at 2-2 with the win and open league play 1-0, while the Golden Eagles drop their record to 1-2 overall and 1-1 in the Skyline Conference.

Sophomore Dana Bacalla (Portland, OR) and junior Jin Bai (Edison, NJ) earned an 8-1 victory at No. 1 doubles over Colleen Fitzgerald and Tiffany Kristich, 8-1. The freshmen duo of Whitney Bender (Tijeras, NM) and Rebecca Ryba (Old Brookville, NY) notched their third victory of the season together, registering an 8-2 win over Carly Nappi and Melissa Carlin at No. 2 doubles. Stevens completed the doubles sweep with an 8-5 win at the No. 3 spot as sophomore Jacqueline Carbone (Basking Ridge, NJ) and junior Vandita Shah (Bloomfield, NJ) downed Lindsey Curtis and Marie Devi of the Golden Eagles.

Stevens continued its momentum in singles action, sweeping all six matches. Bacalla improved to 4-0 on the season, never surrendering a game for the third time this season en route to a 6-0, 6-0 victory over Fitzgerald at No. 1 singles. Bender posted a 6-0, 6-4 win at No. 2 singles over Nappi. Bai looked impressive at the No. 3 spot, surrendering just one game in a 6-1, 6-0 victory over Curtis. Ryba downed Carlin, 6-2, 6-0, at No. 4 singles, while Carbone earned a 6-4, 6-1 win over Christine Spath at the No. 5 spot. Shah rounded out the Stevens sweep, rebounding from a 6-4 loss in the first set to even the match at a set apiece with a 6-4 win in the second set and pulled out the victory with a 10-4 victory in the tiebreaker.

The Ducks return to action tomorrow with a 2 p.m. match at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY.

Stevens 9, St. Joseph’s 0

Doubles

No. 1    Dana Bacalla/Jin Bai def. Colleen Fitzgerald/Tiffany Kristich (SJ), 8-1

No. 2    Whitney Bender/Rebecca Ryba (S) def. Carly Nappi/Melissa Carlin (SJ), 8-2

No. 3    Jacqueline Carbone/Vandita Shah (S) def. Lindsey Curtis/Marie Devi (SJ), 8-5

Singles

No. 1    Dana Bacalla (S) def. Colleen Fitzgerald (SJ), 6-0, 6-0

No. 2    Whitney Bender (S) def. Carly Nappi (SJ), 6-0, 6-4

No. 3    Jin Bai (S) def. Lindsey Curtis (SJ), 6-1, 6-0

No. 4    Rebecca Ryba (S) def. Melissa Carlin (SJ), 6-2, 6-0

No. 5    Jacqueline Carbone (S) def. Chrissy Spath (SJ), 6-4, 6-1

No. 6    Vandita Shah (S) def. Marie Devi (SJ), 4-6, 6-4 (10-4)