ROCHESTER, N.Y. (October 24, 2009) – The Stevens Institute of Technology women's volleyball team swept a conference doubleheader today with Elmira College and Nazareth College to stay perfect in conference play and secure the number one seed in the upcoming Empire 8 Tournament. The Ducks won both matches in five sets, besting Elmira, 3-2 (25-17, 21-25, 25-21, 21-25, 15-11), in its first match of the day before downing Empire 8 Crossover host Nazareth, 3-2 (25-22, 25-16, 22-25, 8-25, 15-10).

Stevens, which has won 61 straight conference matches dating to 2004 when the program competed in the Skyline Conference, is now 22-7 overall on the season with a flawless 8-0 league ledger. The Ducks, riding an eight-match win-streak, have now won 14 of its last 15 matches.

Junior outside hitter Sarah Byrne led Stevens with 34 kills and 29 digs in two matches, while freshman Maggie Kowalska totaled 42 kills, eight blocks, and five digs. Fellow newcomer Brittany Fuller added 20 kills and 10 blocks, while junior setter Sara Budar finished with 107 assists. Junior libero Julia Reilly totaled 43 digs in defense.

The Ducks close out their regular season with a trip to Poughkeepsie, N.Y. on October 30-31 for the Vassar Tournament against SUNY Fredonia, Sage Colleges, University of Rochester, and Vassar College before hosting the Empire 8 women's volleyball championship tournament on November 7.

Stevens 3, Elmira 2 (25-17, 21-25, 25-21, 21-25, 15-11)
Three Ducks registered double-digit kills in leading Stevens to a 3-2 win over Elmira. With the match tied at a set apiece, Stevens captured a pivotal third set, 25-21, before dropping the fourth set, 25-21. The Ducks would rebound in the fifth and final set, hitting .333 en route to a 15-11 win.

Byrne finished with a team-high 23 kills, while Kowalska and Fuller added 19 and 11 kills, respectively. Byrne also added 12 digs, while Kowalska and Fuller each tallied seven blocks. Budar equaled a season-high with 59 assists, with Reilly finishing with a team-high 18 digs.

Stevens 3, Nazareth 2 (25-22, 25-16, 22-25, 8-25, 15-10)
The tandem of Byrne and Kowalska once again led the Ducks in Stevens' 3-2 win over Nazareth, as the duo combined for 34 kills and 19 digs during the five-set, see-saw affair. With the Ducks holding onto a 2-0 set lead, a resilient Golden Flyers squad rallied, taking the next two sets by scores of 25-22 and 25-8, respectively, to even the match. Stevens would bounce back however, hitting .320 in the fifth and final set to put Nazareth away and clinch the top-seed in the upcoming Empire 8 women's volleyball championship tournament.

Kowalska finished with a team-high 23 kills, while Byrne added 11 kills and 17 digs. Fuller tallied nine kills and three blocks, while Budar put forth a 48-assist effort in the win. Reilly had a team-high 25 digs.