TROY, N.Y. – Led by strong efforts from the doubles teams and wins in five of six singles matches, the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) women's tennis team defeated Bard College, 8-1 in the season home opener at Sharp Courts.  With the victory, the Engineers move to 8-1 on the season, while the Raptors slip to 5-4 overall.
 
The Engineers doubles teams continued to shine as all three posted solid victories.  Leading the way was the first doubles flight of Casey Olsen (Glen Ridge, NJ/Glen Ridge) and Amanda Alexander (Houston, TX/The High School for the Performing and Visual Arts), who improved to 5-0 in the spring with an 8-0 victory.  Both were victorious in singles action as Olsen won 6-2, 6-1 at the first flight, while Alexander posted a 6-1, 6-0 victory at the fourth flight.
 
Sophomore Christina Ciamarra (Woodbury, MN/Newtown (CT)) and freshman Lexi Rindone (Prescott, AZ/Prescott) won in the second flight by an 8-3 margin, while rookie Jessica Buckley (Whitesboro, NY / Notre Dame Jr.-Sr.)  and sophomore Meghan Olson (Rochester, NY/Penfield) captured the third flight with an 8-1 win.
 
Ciamarra also had a tough fought singles win in the second flight, pulling out a 6-4, 6-4 victory, while junior captain Brianna Dickie (Acton, MA/Acton Regional) and rookie Katrina Bohnhorst (Hellertown, PA/Saucon Valley) won their matches at the fifth (6-3, 6-0) and sixth (6-1, 6-2) flights, respectively.
 
Doubles:
1. Olsen and Alexander (RPI) defeated Jean Wong and Julia Defabo: 8-0.
2. Ciamarra and Rindone (RPI) defeated Sofia Commito and Madeline Turner: 8-3.
3. Buckley and Olson (RPI) defeated Nelle Plotkin and Chloe Stergedes: 8-1.
 
Singles:
1. Olsen (RPI) defeated Commito: 6-2, 6-1
2. Ciamarra (RPI) defeated Wong: 6-4, 6-4
3. Defabo (Bard) defeated Olson (RPI): 2-6, 6-4, (11-9)
4. Alexander (RPI) defetaed Plotkin: 6-1, 6-0
5. Dickie (RPI) defeated Stergedes: 6-3, 6-0
6. Bohnhorst (RPI) defeated Lia Soorenian: 6-1, 6-2
 
The Engineers return to the court on April 6 when they welcome Liberty League-foe Vassar to Sharp Courts (4pm).  Bard is back in action on Wednesday, hosting Manhattanville (6pm).