NEWARK, NJ – Rookie Gafar Ayinde battled to a three-set win on the No. 4 singles court to give Rutgers-Newark its only win as Baruch spoiled the Scarlet Raiders' season opener and the debut of new head coach Kenneth Graham with an 8-1 decision on The Golden Dome Courts. 

BOX SCORE

Ayinde downed Mikheil Sumbatashvil, 6-2, 1-6, 7-5, to cap the session dominated by the Bearcats (4-1).
Junior Brian Barbera took Baruch's Andrew Smith to a third set by bouncing back from a 6-2 loss in the opening frame to win a tie breaker, 7-5, in the second. But, Smith edge Barbera 7-5 to take the match. 

Top-flight singles player Kevin Santos fell in a second-set tie breaker to fall in straight sets to Fedor Khrushchev, 6-4, 6-6 (8-6). 

The Bearcats rolled to straight set wins in the other singles matches and dominated doubles play by losing just seven of the 31 games. 

The Raiders will host Brooklyn College on The Golden Dome Courts on Thursday at 5 p.m.