Box Score NEWARK, N.J. --- The NJIT women's tennis team opened 2019 with a 7-0 sweep over the Wagner College Seahawks Friday evening at The Naimoli Family Athletic and Recreational Facility.

The freshman duo of Shamika Dhar and Adara Omar got the Highlanders on the board in doubles, winning the No. 3 match 6-1. Senior Rafaella Sampaio and freshman Mouna Bouzgarrou clinched the doubles point at No. 2 with another 6-1 victory while sophomore Holly Matson and newcomer Joleta Budiman added an insurance win at the No.1 position, 6-2.

In singles, every Highlander won their match in straight sets, with Omar pitching a 6-0, 6-0 shutout in her first solo match. Sampaio, fellow senior Amanda Helminsky, Dhar and sophomore Advaita Saravanan each only allowed three points in their two matches while junior Mayar Eltony faced the stiffest singles competition but still came away with a 6-3, 6-3 triumph in the No. 1 match.

"I thought our team did a very good job of not taking the opponent lightly. I thought it was a really solid performance," head coach Zaki Abdelrahman said about his team's effort on Friday. "Seeing Amanda and Mayar competing again after battling injuries was great because they have experience that we will need down the road. Today was also the first match for our newcomers Adara, Mouna, Shamika, and Joleta. It's never easy to get the first match in and get rid of the nerves, so I am glad they passed that peacefully." 

NJIT will hit the road for the first time in 2019 on Sunday, January 27 when the Highlanders face Sacred Heart at 3 p.m. The match will be held at Yale University in New Haven, Conn.

NJIT 7, WAGNER 0

Singles competition
1. ELTONY, Mayar (NJIT-W) def. KHALILZADE, Fidan (WAGNER-W) 6-3, 6-3
2. SARAVANAN, Advaita (NJIT-W) def. BAYNES, Rina (WAGNER-W) 6-3, 6-0
3. SAMPAIO, Rafaella (NJIT-W) def. LUGTU, Samantha (WAGNER-W) 6-2, 6-1
4. DHAR, Shamika (NJIT-W) def. REEVES, Emma (WAGNER-W) 6-3, 6-0
5. HELMINSKY, Amanda (NJIT-W) def. d'ALESSANDRO, Alegra (WAGNER-W) 6-3, 6-0
6. OMAR, Adara (NJIT-W) def. POST, Melanie (WAGNER-W) 6-0, 6-0

Doubles competition
1. MATSON, Holly/BUDIMAN, Joleta (NJIT-W) def. BAYNES, Rina/KHALILZADE, Fidan (WAGNER-W) 6-2
2. SAMPAIO, Rafaella/BOUZGARROU, Mouna (NJIT-W) def. LUGTU, Samantha/REEVES, Emma (WAGNER-W) 6-1
3. DHAR, Shamika/OMAR, Adara (NJIT-W) def. PINZARIU, Diana/d'ALESSANDRO, Alegra (WAGNER-W) 6-1

Match Notes:
WAGNER 3-3
NJIT 1-0

Order of finish: Doubles (3,2,1); Singles (3,2,4,1,6,5)
Doubles clinched at No. 2
Singles clinched at No. 4