CAMDEN, N.J. (Sept. 3, 2015) – Although the Rutgers University-Camden women's tennis team dropped its second straight 5-4 decision to start the season, things are looking up for the Scarlet Raptors.
 
Two days after a short-handed four-member team dropped a 5-4 decision to Cabrini College by losing three matches by default, the Scarlet Raptors were able to play all six singles and three doubles matches here Thursday. With the addition of three athletes, playing their first collegiate tennis competition, the Raptors were edged by Cedar Crest College, 5-4.
 
Rutgers-Camden continued its success at first and second singles and first doubles, behind the play of senior Amanda Hickman (Millville, NJ/Millville) and sophomore Angela Errigo (Tabernacle, NJ/Shawnee). Hickman won at first singles, 6-0, 6-0, while Errigo won her second singles competition, 6-0, 6-1. They combined for an 8-0 win at first doubles. Both players are 2-0 in singles and 2-0 in doubles play this season.
 
The Scarlet Raptors also captured a victory from junior Christine Abacan (Collingswood, NJ/Collingswood) at third singles. She raised her singles mark to 2-0 this season with a 3-6, 6-4, 10-6 comeback marathon victory over Cedar Crest's Taylor Doran.
 
Making their collegiate tennis debuts were junior Lindsay Day (Mays Landing, NJ/Oakcrest), sophomore China Owens (Camden, NJ/Camden County Technical School) and freshman M'Peris Powell (Camden, NJ/Camden Academy).
 
Day, a three-year star on the Rutgers-Camden softball team, dropped a 6-1, 6-1 match at fourth singles and teamed with Abacan at second doubles, losing 8-0.
 
Owens and Powell dropped 6-0, 6-0 matches at fifth and sixth singles, respectively, and teamed at third doubles in an 8-0 loss.
 
The two victories for Hickman increased her program record totals to 39 singles wins, 30 doubles wins and 69 overall victories.
 
Rutgers-Camden opens its New Jersey Athletic Conference schedule Saturday when it hosts sister school Rutgers-Newark at 12 p.m.