NEWARK, N.J. (October 17, 2015) - The Rutgers University-Newark women's tennis team earned a thrilling 5-4 victory over Lehman College Saturday at The Golden Dome Courts in Newark.
 
The Scarlet Raiders improve to 2-10 overall, while Lehman drops to 2-7 on the season. R-N will end its season on a high note, winning two of its final five contests, including its 2015 finale.
 
"I am really proud of how we played today," said Head Coach Tom Battaglia after the match. "The improvement our women showed this season was immense, and I really feel like we are on the right track for the future."
 
Rutgers-Newark earned the win when veteran Jamie Lee Buhain won at No. 4 singles, helping R-N overcome a 2-1 deficit after doubles play. Buhain – who is coming back for one more season – took her match in straight sets, 6-2, 6-2 to send Rutgers to the victory.
 
R-N dropped singles matches at No. 1 and No. 2 before ripping off wins at flights three, four, five and six. Urvi Shah rolled at No. 3, winning 6-2, 6-0 and Julibeth Hernandez followed at No. 5, 6-1, 6-0. Kesha Patel notched a win at six 6-0, 6-1, setting the stage for Buhain's big win at No. 4 to clinch the team's second victory of the season.
 
Freshman Bryanna Thaxton and Buhain suffered a hard-fought 8-6 loss at second doubles, with freshman Jessica Smoot and Kallah Masudi falling 8-4 at No. 1. Earning the key doubles win was Shah and Nicole Murray who rolled 8-0 out of the third flight.
 
The Scarlet Raiders were swept 9-0 in their Friday match at FDU-Florham. Smoot and Masudi played well at No. 1 doubles, falling 8-6, as Rutgers won a total of 11 games in doubles play.
 
Highlighting singles action was a marathon loss by Buhain who fell 6-3, 4-6, 10-7 at No. 4. Thaxton pocketed four game victories in a 6-4, 6-0 loss at No. 2, with R-N earning a total of 20 game wins.
 
"We return our entire group next year, and if they continue to develop, improve and play, I think we can do some positive things in the near future."