NEWARK, N.J. — The NJIT women's tennis team opened up its 2023 home schedule with an emphatic 7-0 shutout victory over in-state foe Rider Friday evening at the Naimoli Family Athletic and Recreational Facility.

Outside of a close defeat at No. 1 doubles that had no bearing on the hosts winning the doubles point, NJIT (2-1) took care of the Broncs with relative ease: the Highlanders, who won all six singles flights in straight sets, did not allow more than four games in any flight and produced a shutout set in four of six singles matchups.

DEJA VU
Friday's win marked the fifth straight season NJIT has posted a 7-0 shutout in its first action of the year at Naimoli:

• 2017-18: FDU (Feb. 2, 2018)
• 2018-19: Wagner (Jan. 25, 2019)
• 2019-20: Sacred Heart (Jan. 24, 2020)
• 2021-22: Southeastern Louisiana (Nov. 5, 2021)
• 2022-23: Rider (Jan. 27, 2023)

*team did not compete in 2020-21 due to COVID-19

THE FIRST OF MANY
After earning her first victory at the helm of NJIT against Cornell, head coach Patricia Piorkowski McDonald picked up her first home win as the Highlanders' coach against Rider. 

NJIT 7, Rider 0
1/27/2023 at Newark, NJ (Naimoli Center)
Singles competition
1. Shivani Ingle (NJIT) def. Sydow, Andrea (RIDW) 6-1, 6-3
2. Joleta Budiman (NJIT) def. Koster, Leila (RIDW) 6-1, 6-1
3. Sandra Dzhambazov (NJIT) def. Naves, Daniella (RIDW) 6-0, 6-2
4. Laura Wipfli (NJIT) def. Gutierrez, Sofia (RIDW) 6-2, 6-0
5. Irene Cocero (NJIT) def. Oppenheim, Avery (RIDW) 6-4, 6-0
6. Paula Menendez Alvarez (NJIT) def. Bolin, Raquel (RIDW) 6-2, 6-0

Doubles competition
1. Bolin, Raquel/Koster, Leila (RIDW) def. Shivani Ingle/Laura Wipfli (NJIT) 6-4
2. Joleta Budiman/Irene Cocero (NJIT) def. Ceccarelli, Agnese/Naves, Daniella (RIDW) 6-2
3. Shalom Salvi/Paula Menendez Alvarez (NJIT) def. Gutierrez, Sofia/Sydow, Andrea (RIDW) 6-2

Match Notes
Rider 1-3
NJIT 2-1
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2,1); Singles (2,4,3,1,5,6)


NEXT UP
NJIT will continue its five-match homestand next Saturday (February 4) with a 1 p.m. matchup against Villanova.