BALTIMORE, MD—Third-seeded NJIT blanked sixth-seeded Hartford, 4-0, at the 2014 America East Women's Tennis Championships hosted by UMBC Friday afternoon.

The Highlanders (10-7) in their first year as an associate member in the America East, earned the doubles point and won three singles contests for a 4-0 victory that advanced them to the semifinals.  Individual matches are halted as soon as one team achieves the points necessary to clinch a victory.

NJIT doubles pair Ksenia Kuzmenko and Jana Luste were 8-1 winners at first doubles, defeating Hartford's Ashley Harel and Katrina Zampas.

Highlander duo Nathalie Habegger and Hannelore MacDonald swept Hartford's Hannah Goldman and Felicia Demarco, 8-0, at third doubles.

In singles competition, the Highlanders won at first, third and fourth singles, all in straight sets.

NJIT's Ksenia Kuzmenko and Nathalie Habegger won by identical scores 6-0, 6-1 at first and fourth singles respectively while Jana Luste, competing at the third spot, won 6-0, 6-0 over Katrina Zampas.

The Highlanders will return to action on Saturday at 1pm against No. 2 Binghamton.  The Bearcats are led by Sara Kohtz with the best individual record of 17-9 (9-5 dual, 8-4 tournament play), with the majority of her dual wins coming at the No. 2 singles spot.

NJIT 4, Hartford 0 (Final)

Singles
1. Ksenia Kuzmenko def. Ashley Harel (H) 6 0, 6 1
2. Martina Tripcovici vs. Emily Sneddon (H) 6 3, 1 1 DNF
3. Jana Luste def. Katrina Zampas (H) 6 0, 6 0
4. Nathalie Habegger def. Madeline Makings (H) 6 1, 6 0.
5. Natalia Melibeu vs. Hannah Goldman (H) 6 3, 0 2 DNF
6. Carolina Zanotta vs. Felicia Demarco (H) 6 0, 5,0 DNF

Doubles
Kuzmenko/Luste def Harel/Zampas 8-1
Melibeu/Zanitta def Sneddon/Makings 5-3 DNF
Habegger/MacDonald def Goldman/Demarco 8-0