Box Score Thibodaux, La. – The NJIT men's tennis team began its Southland Conference title defense on Thursday afternoon with an opening round win over No. 7 seed Lamar, 4-1.

The Highlanders got off to a fast start, clinching the doubles point out of the gates to hold the early advantage. Pablo Perez Ramos and Nejc Skorjanc, who were named to the All-Southland Second Team in No. 1 Doubles on Tuesday, notched a 6-1 win in the top flight. After Lamar captured a win on the No. 2 court, the duo of Soma Fukuhara and German Lopez Andujar earned a 6-3 win in No. 3 doubles.

In singles, the first Highlander victory came courtesy of Wil Jenkins in No. 4 singles, 7-5, 6-3. After Lamar rebounded with its first point on the No. 3 court, Fukuhara continued his strong day with a straight sets win on the No. 5 court, 6-2, 6-4. Perez Ramos would then solidify the victory for the second-seeded Highlanders, winning two tiebreakers on the No. 1 court to clinch the win, 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (7-4).

NJIT 4, Lamar 1
Doubles competition

1. Pablo Perez Ramos/Nejc Skorjanc (NJIT) def. Fabian Anthin/Guy Dagan (LU), 6-1
2. Leon Nickel/Haruki Omori-Cowie (LU) def. Oscar Callo von Platen/Wil Jenkins (NJIT), 6-1
3. Soma Fukuhara/German Lopez Andujar (NJIT) def. Lukas Hamacher/Santiago Ledesma (LU), 6-3

Singles competition

1. Pablo Perez Ramos (NJIT) def. Leon Nickel (LU), 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (7-4)
2. Nejc Skorjanc (NJIT) vs. Haruki Omori-Cowie (LU), 7-6 (7-4), 5-5 (unfinished)
3. Fabian Anthin (LU) def. Oscar Callo von Platen (NJIT), 6-3, 6-2
4. Wil Jenkins (NJIT) def. Lukas Hamacher (LU), 7-5, 6-3
5. Soma Fukuhara (NJIT) def. Stefano Chappuis (LU), 6-2, 6-4
6. German Lopez Andujar (NJIT) vs. Louis Drapeau (LU), 3-6, 6-4, 3-3 (unfinished)

Up Next
The Highlanders advance to the Southland Conference semifinals where they will face No. 6 seed Incarnate Word on Friday at 1 p.m. Last season, NJIT defeated the Cardinals in the Southland Finals to capture the conference tournament title.