ORLANDO, Fla. (March 12, 2006) – Freshman Rebecca Ryba (Old Brookville, N.Y.) claimed a tough 6-2, 7-6 (7-5) victory at No. 4 singles, but it was not enough as the Stevens Institute of Technology women’s tennis team kicked off the spring 2006 season with a 7-2 loss to Franklin & Marshall College on Sunday in Orlando, Fla.
Sophomore Dana Bacalla (Portland, Ore.) rolled to a 6-0, 6-2 win at first singles for the Ducks. Bacalla also teamed with junior Jin Bai (Edison, N.J.) at the No. 1 doubles position. Bacalla and Bai suffered a narrow 9-7 loss to juniors Katie Gaskins (Richmond, Va.) and Barbara Bee (Brooklandville, Md.).
After winning seven of 12 matches during the fall, Stevens ran its record to 7-6 on the year with the loss to Franklin & Marshall. The Ducks will be back in action on Tuesday when they take on Emory & Henry College at noon. That match will be played in Orlando as well.
Franklin & Marshall 7, Stevens 2
Doubles
No. 1 – Katie Gaskins/Barbara Bee (F&M) d. Dana Bacalla/Jin Bai (SIT) – 9-7
No. 2 – Elizabeth Denenberg/Jenna Ishkanian (F&M) d. Whitney Bender/Rebecca Ryba (SIT) – 8-3
No. 3 – F&M wins by default
Singles
No. 1 – Bacalla (SIT) d. Gaskins (F&M) – 6-0, 6-2
No. 2 – Denenberg (F&M) d. Bender (SIT) – 6-0, 6-0
No. 3 – Bee (F&M) d. Bai (SIT) – 6-1, 6-2
No. 4 – Ryba (SIT) d. Danielle Barish (F&M) – 6-2, 7-6 (7-5)
No. 5 – Ishkanian (F&M) d. Jacqueline Carbone (SIT) – 6-0, 6-0
No. 6 – F&M wins by default
