EWING, N.J. (Sept. 1, 2017) – The Rutgers University-Camden women's tennis team had the unenviable task of opening its season here Friday against The College of New Jersey, which has been the best team in the New Jersey Athletic Conference for decades.
Facing the powerful Lions, who have won every title since the league started in 1982 as the Jersey Athletic Conference, the young Scarlet Raptors dropped a season-opening 9-0 decision in a match that saw five Rutgers-Camden players make their collegiate debut.
TCNJ, once again the NJAC favorite, has won every title since the league started in 1982 as the Jersey Athletic Conference, all but one of them outright. The Lions tied for the 1996 crown.
The Scarlet Raptors were swept 6-0, 6-0 in all six singles matches except third singles, where
Danielle Lemma (Haddon Township, NJ/Haddon Township) dropped a 6-1, 6-0 decision. Lemma also teamed with fellow sophomore co-captain
Annalise Kipp (West Deptford, NJ/West Deptford) at first doubles, where they lost by an 8-1 score. Kipp also lost at first singles.
Four Raptor freshmen made their debuts in the singles competition, with
Jenna O'Lexy (Pitman, NJ/Pitman), Lexi Sample (Newfield/Delsea Regional), Abby Banner (Egg Harbor City, NJ/Cedar Creek) and
Christina Lee (West Deptford, NJ/Gloucester County Institute of Technology) losing 6-0, 6-0 decisions at second, fourth, fifth and sixth singles, respectively.
O'Lexy and Sample lost, 8-0, at second doubles, while the Raptors' third doubles pair of sophomore
Trinh Nguyen (Somerdale, NJ/Sterling) and freshman
Jade Blackford-Wadhams (Sicklerville, NJ/Timber Creek) also dropped an 8-0 decision. Blackford-Wadhams was making her collegiate debut.
Rutgers-Camden was scheduled to play a 12 p.m. NJAC match on Saturday at Stockton University, but that contest has already been postponed. The next scheduled match is the Raptors' home opener on Sunday, Sept. 10, when they entertain NJAC rival William Paterson University at noon.
Box score
