Feb. 16, 2006

Box Score

PHILADELPHIA - Temple, a strong NCAA Division I team, edged New Jersey Institute of Technology, 4-3, in the spring 2006 opener for the Highlanders.

NJIT, which is reclassifying to Division I from Division II, was 7-2 in the fall, including 6-0 in its final season as a member of the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference. The Highlanders were ranked 7th last fall in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Division II Northeast Region.

Temple, which plays the majority of its matches in the spring, is 5-1 this season, including 3-1 in the spring.

NJIT senior co-captain Eva Salierno, a transfer from Montclair State, was one of two Highlander singles winners, prevailing in the fourth spot, 7-6 (5) and 6-4. She combined with senior co-captain Deepti Sanjai to win second doubles, 8-3.

Sophomore Grace Bogdan teamed with Chiori Koike to win third doubles, 8-3, and Bogdan also won the first set of sixth singles, 7-6 (3), before time limitations prevented further play.

Temple won four of the five fully-contested singles matches, but most of them were close. In first singles, Temple's Yuri Kurashima edged NJIT's Iulia Doci, 7-6 (5) and 6-4 and at third singles, the Owls' Felicia Frazier slipped past Sanjai, 7-5, 6-4.

NJIT will host East Stroudsburg on Saturday at 7:30 pm indoors at the Tenafly Racquet Club.