HOBOKEN, N.J. (September 14, 2008) – Freshman Morgan Scalzi of the Stevens Institute of Technology women's tennis team clinched the match for the Ducks with her 6-1, 6-3 win over sophomore Christina Sorrentino (Sherill, N.Y.) of Hartwick College to lift Stevens to an 8-1 conference victory over the Hawks. This is the Ducks fourth-straight victory at home as they move to 4-2 on the year and 3-2 in Empire 8 play. With the loss Hartwick falls to 1-3 overall.
Once again the Ducks swept in doubles play having posted three wins. The tandem of senior Whitney Bender and sophomore Allyson Kingman topped junior Betsy Breaznell (Delmar, N.Y.) and sophomore Jennifer Lin (Albany, N.Y.) by a flawless score of 8-0 at No. 1 doubles. With the win, Bender and Kingman run their doubles ledger to 5-1. In second doubles, sophomore Kendra Appleheimer and freshman Nicole Portner posted their fifth win of the season as they took down senior Anne Neely (Milton, Mass.) and Sorrentino by an 8-5 decision. The freshmen combination of Mine Bese and Scalzi upended senior Joanna Rudy (Bridgeport, N.Y.) and sophomore Carly Jesset (Charlotte, Vt.) 8-6 at No. 3 doubles.
With the match yet to be decided, Bender recorded her third singles win of the year in dramatic fashion winning the super tiebreaker over Breaznell 7-6 (5), 0-6, 10-6 at first singles. Kingman defeated Lin by a 7-5, 4-6, 6-3 outcome to earn her sixth singles win of the year as she is now a perfect 6-0. At No. 3 singles, Portner took down Neely in straight sets 6-2, 6-0 as the first-year contributor boasts a 5-1 record. Appleheimer had the only setback having dropped a 6-2, 6-2 match against sophomore Kim Post (Pepperell, Mass.) at fourth singles. Bese upended Jesset for her fifth win of the season in the third set as the scores read 6-1, 1-6, 6-1. In No. 6 singles, Scalzi took down Sorrentino 6-1, 6-3 to clinch the fifth point for the Ducks and help them claim their four consecutive win.
Stevens is back in action on Wednesday when it travels to Madison, N.J. to take on Drew University in a non-conference matchup at 4:30 p.m.
