NEWARK, N.J. --- The NJIT women's tennis team kicked off its 2020 spring campaign on Friday evening with a convincing 7-0 shutout of the Sacred Heart Pioneers at the Naimoli Family Athletic and Recreational Facility.

The first singles flight victory of 2020 for the Highlanders (1-0) went to Adara Omar as she gave NJIT its first points from the No. 4 spot with a straight set win. Joleta Budiman - last year's ASUN Freshman of the Year, All-ASUN First Team and All-Freshman honoree, and ASUN Doubles Pair of the Year member - picked up where she left off last season by winning in the top flight and giving NJIT a 2-0 lead. Newcomer Amira Badawi cracked the starting lineup in her first event and took the No. 3 flight in straight sets while ASUN Second Team selection and All-Freshman pick Mouna Bouzgarrou put the Highlanders over the edge at 4-0 with a three-straight comeback.

Shamika Dhar (No. 6) and Advaita Saravanan (No. 5) rounded out the singles sweep for NJIT with their own two-set triumphs.

Budiman and freshman Aya El Sayed put NJIT on the board in doubles with a 6-1 win at No. 1. Saravanan and Omar followed suit with a 6-2 win at No. 3 and Bouzgarrou and Badawi clinched the shutout with a 6-1 triumph at No. 2.

"I'm so happy to get to see our freshmen Aya and Amira posting their first college wins tonight, It's never easy to get the first match in and get rid of the nervousness, but their experience and being used to playing under pressure definitely helped a lot," head coach Zaki Abdelrahman said after the match.

"I thought the team did a good job not taking the opponent lightly and the players were serious and focused across the board. I am so pleased for the level of our double teams. It was a good chance to get to know the areas we need to work on and develop before our next game."

NEXT UP
NJIT will return to action next week (Friday, January 31) when Fairleigh Dickinson makes the trip to Naimoli Center. 


NJIT 7, Sacred Heart 0
1/24/2020 at Newark, NJ (Naimoli Center)
Singles competition
1. Joleta Budiman (NJIT) def. Adrianne Alfonso (SHU) 6-4, 6-0
2. Mouna Bouzgarrou (NJIT) def. Brianne Lauria (SHU) 4-6, 6-4, 10-8
3. Amira Badawi (NJIT) def. Lauren Santarsiero (SHU) 6-0, 6-3
4. Adara Omar (NJIT) def. Keira Tobia (SHU) 6-1, 6-2
5. Advaita Saravanan (NJIT) def. Laura Crivei (SHU) 6-4, 6-0
6. Shamika Dhar (NJIT) def. Maggie Glynn (SHU) 6-2, 6-0

Doubles competition
1. Joleta Budiman/Aya El Sayed (NJIT) def. Adrianne Alfonso/Brianne Lauria (SHU) 6-1
2. Mouna Bouzgarrou/Amira Badawi (NJIT) def. Lauren Santarsiero/Laura Crivei (SHU) 6-1
3. Advaita Saravanan/Adara Omar (NJIT) def. Keira Tobia/Maggie Glynn (SHU) 6-2

Match Notes
Order of finish: Doubles (1,3,2); Singles (4,1,3,2,6,5)
2020 Spring Season Opener and Home Opener