HEMPSTEAD, NY—The NJIT women's tennis team returned to its winning ways with a convincing 6-1 victory at Hofstra Saturday evening.
 
The Highlanders, who had dropped their previous four matches, got back into the win column Saturday to recording their third win of the season. 

NJIT swept the doubles contest to earn the doubles point and won five out of six singles contests for the 6-1 victory. Highlander duo Ksenia Kuzmenko and Jana Luste were 8-6 winners at first doubles over Hofstra's Sarah Bowen and Carmen Pestano.  Kuzmenko won in straight sets at first singles topping Bowen, 6-2, 6-3 while Luste followed up with a straight set victory of her own at third singles over Pestano, 6-1, 6-2.
 
NJIT pair Natalia Melibeu and Carolina Zanotta were 8-5 winner at second doubles defeating Hofstra's Louise Lopez and Bianca Derrick.  Melibeu was a 6-1, 6-3 winner at fourth singles over Giulia Leone and Zanotta won 6-0, 6-3 at the fifth spot.
 
The Highlanders won by default at third doubles and sixth singles.
 
NJIT will play the next three matches at home before heading to Virginia for the team's annual Spring Break trip. 
 
The Highlanders will host Binghamton and Manhattan on Saturday, March 8 at 11 am/5 pm in the Naimoli Family Athletic and Recreational Facility. Binghamton is a member of the America East Conference, which recently added NJIT as an affiliate member in women's tennis.
 
On Sunday, the Highlanders will wrap up its home portion of the schedule, hosting St. Bonaventure at 10 am.  In pre-match ceremonies, the Highlanders will honor graduating seniors Megan Guidry, Kuzmenko, Luste, Hannelore MacDonald, Melibeu and Martina Tripcovici.
 
 
NJIT def. Hofstra 6-1
Doubles
1. Kuzmenko/Luste(NJIT) def. Bowen/Pestano(Hofstra) 8-6
2. Melibeu/Zanotta(NJIT) def. Lopez/Derrick (Hofstra) 8-5
3. NJIT won by default
 
Singles
1. Ksenia Kuzmenko (NJIT) def. Sarah Bowen (Hofstra) 6-2, 6-3
2. Louise Lopez (Hofstra) def. Nathalie Habegger (NJIT) 6-3, 6-2
3. Jana Luste (NJIT) def. Carmen Pestano (Hofstra) 6-1, 6-2
4. Natalia Melibeu (NJIT) def. Giulia Leone (Hofstra) 6-1, 6-3
5. Carolina Zanotta (NJIT) def. Bianca Derrick (Hofstra) 6-0, 6-3
6. NJIT won by default