NEWARK, N.J. --- The NJIT men's tennis team kicked off their ASUN Conference schedule with a valiant effort in a 4-3 loss to the Stetson Hatters Saturday evening at the Naimoli Family Athletic and Recreation Facility.

NJIT (4-9, 0-1 ASUN) found itself in a battle from the beginning but stood up to the challenge from Stetson (9-7, 1-0 ASUN). The Hatters earned the doubles point after winning two of three matches but the Highlanders showed their toughness in its one doubles win. Abdullah Fouad and Aleksa Petrovic took the first doubles match of the night, rallying from a 5-2 deficit to earn the 7-5 victory.

Fouad took his doubles momentum and used it to force a retirement at No.3 and tie the match at 1-1. Zac Castagna followed Fouad's win with one of his own at No. 4 to put the Highlanders ahead, 2-1.

Stetson, last year's ASUN runner-up, knotted the match at 2-2 with a win at the top flight but Lukas Zvikas put NJIT back ahead, 3-2, with a three-set win at No. 2. The Hatters once again pulled even with the Highlanders after taking the sixth flight, leaving the match to the winner of the Petrovic-MacNamara fifth flight.

Petrovic played the first set of his match close before falling 6-4 and tied the match at a set apiece by flipping the score on his opponent. Unfortunately, Stetson found a way to get past the Highlanders, taking match with a 6-0 third set

"Today was a really hard fought match with a lot of intensity," head coach Ira Miller said after the conference battle. "Zac, Abdallah and Lukas continued their winning ways and helped up stay close throughout."

NJIT will take a one-game break from conference play on Tuesday, March 19 to face Florida Southern before taking on Florida Gulf Coast on Saturday, March 23.

Stetson 4, NJIT 3

Singles competition
1. Louis Gorregues (STET) def. Tomi Antoljak (NJIT) 7-6, 6-4
2. Lukas Zvikas (NJIT) def. Clement Hamel (STET) 6-3, 3-6, 6-4
3. Abdullah Fouad (NJIT) def. Antoine Sanchez (STET) 6-3, 5-2, retired
4. Zac Castagna (NJIT) def. Tim Gennes (STET) 6-3, 6-3
5. Coilin MacNamara (STET) def. Aleksa Petrovic (NJIT) 6-4, 4-6, 6-0
6. Christian Mills (STET) def. George Svensson (NJIT) 6-2, 7-6

Doubles competition
1. Josh Laka/Tim Gennes (STET) def. Tomi Antoljak/Zac Castagna (NJIT) 7-6
2. Antoine Sanchez/Colter DeCoste (STET) def. Lukas Zvikas/George Svensson (NJIT) 7-5
3. Abdullah Fouad/Aleksa Petrovic (NJIT) def. Coilin MacNamara/Clement Hamel (STET) 7-5

Match Notes
Stetson 9-7 (1-0 ASUN)
NJIT 4-9 (0-1 ASUN)
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2,1); Singles (3,4,1,2,6,5)