NEWARK, NJ – Senior Fergie-Ross Montero (Jersey City, NJ/Marist HS) closed out her home career on Sunday, getting wins on the No. 3 singles court and teaming with sophomore Fatima Gramatica (Union, NJ/Union) in a crucial doubles victory as Rutgers-Newark downed Ramapo, 5-4, in a New Jersey Athletic Conference women's tennis match on The Golden Dome Courts.
Montero, the only senior on the Scarlet Raider roster, and Gramatica took a 9-7 doubles decision on the No. 2 court over Roadrunner senior Lindsay Gerhard (Cape May, NJ/Lower Cape May Regional) and junior Jennifer Finaldi (West Milford, NJ/West Milford) to give the Rutgers-Newark a decisive 2-1 edge in doubles play. The teams split in singles play, 3-3.
Montero downed Kristine Austria (Jersey City, NJ/McNair Academic) in singles while junior Nicole Rubinetti (West Orange, NJ/West Orange) and sophomore Monica Iturralde (Kenilworth, NJ/David Brearley) added straight-set victories on courts No. 1 and 5, respectively, to spell the difference. Rubinetti and Iturralde shaded junior Lisa Wyble (Millville, NJ/Millville) and sophomore Alison Tukel (Morris Plains, NJ/Morristown), 8-6, on the No. 2 doubles court.
In the best match of the day, Gerhard bounced back for a 3-6, 6-4, 6-0 win on the No. 2 singles court against Rutgers-Newark freshman Kelly Fitzsimmons (Middlesex, NJ/Middlesex).
The Raiders (8-4, NJAC 3-2) extended their winning streak to five matches while dropping Ramapo to 8-4 overall and 2-2 in the NJAC. Rutgers-Newark can now finish no worse than third in the five-team conference race.
The Raiders cap their season with a trip to Baruch on Tuesday at 4 p.m.
Ramapo hosts Stevens on Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. before closing out its dual match slate with a league contest against Richard Stockton at 3 o'clock in Mahwah.
RUTGERS-NEWARK 5, RAMAPO 4
SINGLES: Nicole Rubinetti (RN) def. Alison Tukel, 6-1, 6-3; Lindsay Gerhard (R) def. Kelly Fitzsimmons,3-6, 6-4, 6-0; Fergie-Ross Montero (RN) def. Kristine Austria, 6-1, 6-2; Liz Wyble (R) def. Fatima Gramatica, 6-3, 6-1; Monica Iturralde (RN) def. Jennifer Finaldi, 6-1, 6-2; Rebecca Drexl (R) def. Winnie Changco, 6-0, 6-1.
DOUBLES: Rubinetti & Iturralde (RN) def. Wyble & Tukel, 8-6; Montero & Gramatica (RN) def. Gerhard & Finaldi, 9-7; Drexl & Austria (R) def. Changco & Fitzsimmons, 8-1.
RECORDS: Rutgers-Newark 8-4 (NJAC 3-2), Ramapo 8-4 (NJAC 2-2).
