NEWARK, N.J.- The Long Island University women's tennis team concluded its three-match weekend with a tough battle, but fell to NJIT, 5-2 on Sunday afternoon.
 
"It was a bit of a heartbreaker today," said head coach Jan Griga. We were right there with some good opportunities that unfortunately didn't go our way. All in all we played some good tennis and the match proved a great benchmark for us, highlighting where we need to step it up going forward."
 
The No. 1 doubles team of Valentina Dancenco/Sofiya Kuzina opened the match defeating Budiman/Badawi, 6-3. The Highlanders would take the doubles point after Victoria Erechtchenko/Phoebe Watton fell to Bouzgarrou/el Sayed, 1-6, and Elinor Storkaas/Bianca Compuesto fell to Owar/Saravanan, 3-6.
 
At No. 1 singles Dancenco dropped her singles match to Budiman, 4-6, 0-6. Kuzina finished off an impressive match, earning the first team singles point as she defeated el Sayed at No. 2 singles, 6-3, 6-2. Compuesto fell to Badawi, 1-6, 2-6. Despite being down in the first set, Storkaas rallied back in the second set to force a third set tie break but she fell to Bouzgarrou, 1-6, 6-4, 5-7.
 
Erechtchenko earned the second team singles point after she defeated Omar, 6-1, 6-2 at No. 5 singles. Kate Jorjoliani capped off the night with a tough fight at No. 6 singles, but dropped a heartbreaker in the third set tiebreak, 6-3, 1-6, 11-13.
 
The Sharks are back in action on Friday, February 21 when they host Eastern Michigan University in the 2020 season home opener. The match will be played at Sportime Syosset, starting at 1:00 p.m.