Ewing, NJ...It was a busy and successful day for The College of New Jersey women's tennis team as the Lions picked up a pair of wins on Saturday against conference competition. The Lions started the day with a 9-0 triumph over Richard Stockton College and then defeated Kean University by that same score.
The win puts the Lions at 4-0 in the New Jersey Athletic Conference as they have collected 135 straight conference victories. TCNJ hosts Ramapo College on Wednesday, September 15 and win over the Roadrunners would give the Lions their 28th straight NJAC title since the conference began sponsoring the sport in 1982.
Junior Emily Petersack (Mercerville, NJ/Notre Dame) had a milestone day for the Lions as she went a perfect 4-0 between the two matches giving her 50 career combined wins. Against Richard Stockton, she won 6-0, 6-0 and fourth singles and paired with junior Felice Trinh (Linden, NJ/Linden) at third doubles for an 8-0 victory. Petersack finished off her big day with a 6-0, 6-0 win at fourth singles against Kean along with an 8-0 win at third doubles teaming up with freshman Tara Criscuolo (Westfield, NJ/Westfield).
Petersack is now 50-15 in two-plus seasons with the Lions and has excelled in doubles play with 34 of those wins coming in doubles. This season, she is 4-0 in both singles and doubles play.
In the win over Richard Stockton, sophomore Allison Tierney (Berkeley Heights, NJ/Governor Livingston) won 6-0, 6-0 at second singles, while sophomore Paige Aiello (Hillsborough, NJ/Hillsborough) won by that same score in the third spot as did Criscuolo in the fifth position.
In the win over Kean, the Lions won every point taking all six singles matches 6-0, 6-0 and won all three slots in doubles, 8-0.
Winning in singles in the first through six positions were sophomore Karisse Bendijo (Egg Harbor Township, NJ/Egg Harbor Township), Tierney, Aiello, Petersack, Criscuolo, and sophomore Lauren Balsamo (Wall, NJ/Wall Twp.).
In addition to Petersack and Criscuolo's win at third doubles, Bendijo and Tierney were victorious in the top position and Balsamo and Aiello in the second as all three teams won 8-0.
The College of New Jersey 9, Richard Stockton College 0
Singles competition
1. Karisse Bendijo (TCNJ) def. Kristi Fernandez (STOCK) 6-4, 6-0
2. Allison Tierney (TCNJ) def. Krystle Bendijo (STOCK) 6-0, 6-0
3. Paige Aiello (TCNJ) def. Brittany Hall (STOCK) 6-0, 6-0
4. Emily Petersack (TCNJ) def. Christina Ledwith (STOCK) 6-0, 6-0
5. Tara Criscuolo (TCNJ) def. Tara Varga (STOCK) 6-0, 6-0
6. Lauren Balsamo (TCNJ) def. Nicole Rodriguez (STOCK) 6-1, 6-0
Doubles competition
1. Karisse Bendijo/Allison Tierney (TCNJ) def. Kristi Fernandez/Krystle Bendijo (STOCK) 8-2
2. Paige Aiello/Lauren Balsamo (TCNJ) def. Brittany Hall/Christina Ledwith (STOCK) 8-1
3. Emily Petersack/Felice Trinh (TCNJ) def. Jaclyn Britton/Tara Varga (STOCK) 8-0
The College of New Jersey 9, Kean University 0
Singles competition
1. Karisse Bendijo (TCNJ) def. Lauren Petrucelli (KEAN) 6-0, 6-0
2. Allison Tierney (TCNJ) def. Lisette LaForge (KEAN) 6-0, 6-0
3. Paige Aiello (TCNJ) def. Miriam Penafiel (KEAN) 6-0, 6-0
4. Emily Petersack (TCNJ) def. Debra Dress (KEAN) 6-0, 6-0
5. Tara Criscuolo (TCNJ) def. Jessica Oquendo (KEAN) 6-0, 6-0
6. Lauren Balsamo (TCNJ) def. Jaelynn Lee (KEAN) 6-0, 6-0
Doubles competition
1. Karisse Bendijo/Allison Tierney (TCNJ) def. Lisette LaForge/Debra Dress (KEAN) 8-0
2. Lauren Balsamo/Paige Aiello (TCNJ) def. Lauren Petrucelli/Jaelynn Lee (KEAN) 8-0
3. Emily Petersack/Tara Criscuolo (TCNJ) def. Miriam Penafiel/Jessica Oquendo (KEAN) 8-0
