MADISON, N.J. – The New Jersey City University men's and women's tennis teams both opened the season with 9-0 victories against Fairleigh Dickinson University – Florham on Wednesday, Sept. 15. This is the first shutout win for the women's team since the program's restart in 2020-21.

On the women's side, NJCU (1-0) started the afternoon strong after winning all three doubles matches to take an early 3-0 lead. Junior Eliza Clamor (Auckland, New Zealand/Rangitoto College) and freshman Vanshita Malhotra (Barwala, India/DAV Model School) teamed up against the Devils (0-2) at first doubles and walked off with an 8-2 win. Team co-captains, graduate student Brittany Waugh (Stevenson Ranch, Calif./West Ranch) and junior Giada Zorzan (Milan, Italy/Liceo dello Sport Marco Pantani), swept their match at second doubles for an 8-0 victory. Rookies Mila Gligorov (Milan, Italy/Collegio San Carlo) and Sara Zorzan (Milan, Italy/Liceo Falcone Borsellino) paired up at third doubles for another 8-0 win.

Clamor led the way for the Jersey City with a 6-3, 6-0 win at second singles. Soon after, Malhotra walked off the court after dominating her opponent 6-2, 6-1 at third singles — officially clinching the match victory. Giada finished her match next with a 6-0, 6-3 victory at first singles. Both Gligrov and Sara won in straight sets, winning 8-0 at fifth and sixth singles, respectively. Waugh clinched the final win of the night with an 8-2 win at fourth singles. Fourth, fifth and sixth singles all played one pro-set apiece, with the match already at hand for the Gothic Knights.

WOMEN'S FULL RESULTS (NJCU 9, FDU 0)
Doubles (3-0 NJCU)
1: Clamor/Malhotra (N) def. DelRosso/Weller, 8-2
2: Waugh/G. Zorzan (N) def. Delloliacono/Cronkhite, 8-0
3: Gligorov/S. Zorzan (N) def. Mayo/Lemin, 8-0

Singles (6-0 NJCU)
1: G. Zorzan (N) def. DelRosso (F), 6-0, 6-3
2: Clamor (N) def. DelloIiacono (F), 6-3, 6-0
3: Malhotra (N) def. Weller (F), 6-2, 6-1
4: Waugh (N) def. Cronkhite (F), 8-2
5: Gligorov (N) def. Mayo (F), 8-0
6: S. Zorzan (N) def. Lemin (F), 8-0

The NJCU men's tennis team (1-0) also took an early 3-0 lead against the Devils (0-1) after winning all three doubles lines. Senior co-captain Theo Bourghelle (Lesquin, France/LaSalle Lille) and junior Ryan Weiss (Mullica Hill, N.J./Clearview Regional) teamed up at first doubles to take an 8-2 win. At second doubles, sophomore duo Alejandro Ley (Las Palmas, Spain/I.E.S. Politécnico) and Jordi Julia (Barcelona, Spain/IES Sant Quirze del Valles) cruised through their match, resulting in a 8-1 victory. Senior co-captain Alex Platonov (Weehawken, N.J./Weehawken) and sophomore Gerard Loras (Tortosa, Spain/Col·legi Diocesà Sagrada Família) followed the teams' lead with an 8-6 win at third doubles. 

Moving to singles, Bourghelle swept his match 6-0, 6-1 at the first line. Weiss was next to finish at third singles, winning 6-1, 6-0 against the Devils. Ley soon followed with a 6-0, 6-1 victory at second singles. Julia closed out fourth singles with a win of 6-0, 6-3 while Platonov also finished with a win at the sixth line of 6-2, 6-4. Loras battled through the final match of the night and walked away with a 7-6 (7-4), 6-4 clinch, leaving the Gothic Knights undefeated.

MEN'S FULL RESULTS (NJCU 9, FDU 0)
Doubles (3-0 NJCU)
1: Bourghelle/Weiss (N) def. Carasso/Puccia (F), 8-2
2: Ley/Julia (N) def. Mostoller/Esgun, 8-1
3: Platonov/Loras (N) def. De La Garza/Duval (F), 8-6

Singles (6-0 NJCU)
1: Bourghelle (N) def. Carasso (F), 6-0, 6-1
2: Ley (N) def. Puccia (F), 6-0, 6-1
3: Weiss (N) def. Esgun (F), 6-1, 6-0
4: Julia (N) def. Duval (F), 6-0, 6-3
5: Loras (N) def. Emery (F), 7-6(7-4), 6-4
6: Platonov (N) def. Schacher (F), 6-2, 6-4

UP NEXT:
The NJCU women's team will travel to Geneva, N.Y., to compete in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Regional Championship tournament, hosted by William Smith College, starting Saturday, Sept. 18. The men's team will later travel to the ITA Regional Championship tournament on Friday, Oct. 1, also in Geneva and hosted by Hobart College.