NEWARK, NJ—The NJIT men's tennis team registered its first win of the 2019 campaign, edging visiting Fairleigh Dickinson, 4-3, in non-conference tennis action at The Naimoli Family Athletic and Recreational Facility.
 
NJIT (1-2) swept the doubles contests to earn the point while picking up three wins in singles competition, its biggest win coming at fifth singles in a second-set tiebreaker to close out the match.
 
"We played our best doubles of the year to snatch the early momentum," head coach Ira Miller added after the match.  "Lukas (Zvikas) made quick work of his opponent and Abdullah (Fouad) showed tremendous heart by saving four match points to pull it out in three.  Aleksa (Petrovic) played a great tiebreaker to close out the deciding match. This match should give us some good momentum going into Sunday against Sacred
Heart."
 
Doubles pair Tomi Antoljak and Zac Castagna got the Highlanders started with a 6-4 win at first doubles.
 
Highlander duo George Svensson and Lukas Zvikas battled out a hard fought match at second doubles, coming out on top 7-6 (3).
 
NJIT partners Abdullah Fouad and Aleksa Petrovic teamed for a 7-5 victory at third doubles.
 
Zvikas kept the Highlander momentum going, notching a straight set victory at the third spot, 6-3, 7-5 over Moric Budinszky and the Highlanders would take a 2-0 advantage.
 
Fouad batted out a three-set tilt, 5-7, 7-6, 6-3 victory over Andris Gudins and Petrovic closed out the deciding match at the fifth spot in a straight set victory, 6-3, 7-6.
 
NJIT will have a quick turnaround and host Sacred Heart on Sunday at 10am in The Naimoli Family Athletic and Recreational Facility.
  
NJIT 4, FDU 3
Doubles: 1, 2, 3 (Order of Finish)
Antoljak/Castagna (NJIT) vs Mehdi Douhib/Andris Gudins (FDU) 6-4
Svensson/Zvikas (NJIT) vs Ivan Solans Diaz/Eduardo Cabral (FDU) 7-6 (3)
Fouad/Petrovic (NJIT) vs Maciej Autuch/Moric Budinszky (FDU) 7-5
 
Singles:  3, 1, 2, 4, 5, 6 (Order of Finish)
Mehdi Douhib def. Tomi Antoljak (NJIT) 6-2 1-6 6-3
Abdullah Fouad (NJIT) def. Andris Gudins 5-7 7-6 6-3
Lukas Zvikas (NJIT) def. Moric Budinszky 6-3 7-5
Maciej Autuch def.  Zac Castagna (NJIT)  7-6 4-6 6-4
Aleksa Petrovic (NJIT) def. Ivan Solans Diaz 6-3 7-6
Eduardo Cabral def. George Svensson (NJIT)  6-7 6-4 10-6