HOBOKEN, N.J. (April 18, 2023) – The Stevens Institute of Technology women's tennis dropped just 18 games in defeating DeSales University 9-0 Tuesday in a MAC Freedom matchup on the Stevens Tennis Courts. 

First-years Stephanie Untermeyer and Anya Sharma joined graduate student Agatha Malinowski in winning twice on the day as the Ducks improved to 8-6 on the year and to 7-0 in the MAC Freedom. The Ducks have won 14 straight regular season conference matches, a number that extends to 14 when also including the postseason. Stevens has already clinched the league's regular-season title and the accompanying home-court advantage in the conference tournament. 

Lindsay Shoemaker and Tara Clark won three games at third doubles for DeSales, who dropped to 3-7 on the year and to 1-4 in the MAC Freedom. The Ducks have won all six meetings in the all-time series. 

"Good to conclude regular-season conference play with a win today on our home courts," head coach Arik Zeevy said. "It has been a full team effort all season; everyone on our team has contributed equally to our success and has picked up valuable match experience this spring. We are looking forward to competing with strong non-conference teams over the next few days, which will help us improve and prepare for postseason play."

Prior to the match, Stevens and DeSales came together as the Ducks labeled the contest a "Mental Health Awareness Game" – an initiative organically by Stevens student-athletes and coordinated through the athletic department's Mental Health Committee. Throughout the semester, each of the Ducks' teams sponsored a home game/match that was designed to help raise awareness for student-athlete mental health. Partnering with both  Morgan's Message and The Hidden Opponent, these special events featured table literature, posters, and themed bracelets and stickers, all designed to help break the stigma that surrounds the mental health of the student-athlete. 

"I'd like to thank Coach Farris and DeSales for joining us in helping to break the stigma surrounding mental health before today's match," Zeevy commented. "Our Mental Health Awareness match is a reminder that your mental health is more important than winning or losing or how well you can hit a forehand or backhand. We can help break the stigma surrounding mental health by normalizing the conversation and reminding those struggling that they are not alone and that if you are struggling, you can ask for help." 

On the court, the Ducks captured all three doubles flights by nearly identical margins. Untermeyer and Malinowski defeated Morgan Landau and Nyah Tomlinson 8-2 on line one, a margin matched by Sharma and sophomore Emma Eguia on line two. Senior Juliette Marchisio and sophomore Isabella Dona closed out the doubles sweep with an 8-3 win on line three.

In singles play, all six flights were captured in straight sets. First-year Anusha Singh produced a perfect 6-0, 6-0 victory on line six for her third straight singles win, while Malinowski and Sharma scored identical 6-2, 6-1 victories on lines two and five, respectively. First-year Fionna Flores dropped just two games in a 6-1, 6-1 victory on line four over Hope Hoppe, while Untermeyer and junior Polina Odintseva recorded wins at first and third singles, respectively, to help the Ducks close out the victory. 

However, the best moment of the afternoon wasn't the score of the tennis match, but rather, it was about two opponents coming together to continue the discussion surrounding the importance of student-athlete mental health. 

"A special shout-out to our student-athlete mental health ambassadors: Dana Perry, Taylor Knox, Sarah Korczukowski, Erin Kreis, and Amanda Murnick, for helping prepare our mental health awareness competitions this spring!" Zeevy said.

Up Next: Women's Tennis returns to non-conference play, heading up to New Paltz, New York tomorrow afternoon to take on the Hawks in a match rescheduled from April, which also resulted in a location change for the match. Each of the Ducks' final three matches will be of the non-conference variety. 

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