TEANECK, N.J. -- The Fairleigh Dickinson women's tennis team is set to make its home debut with a Northeast Conference match against Monmouth on Thursday, Sept. 27, at 3:30 p.m. at the FDU Tennis Center.

Thursday will mark the first dual match of the 2012-13 season for the defending NEC champion Knights, while the Hawks have already played three matches with losses to Manhattan and Sacred Heart and a win over Rider.  

So far, FDU has played in two tournaments and has had two players recognized by the NEC for their play. On Tuesday, the NEC revealed the conference Rookie and Player of the Month winners. Senior Egzona Morina (Prishtina, Kosovo/American School of Kosovo) took home Player of the Month recognition, while freshman Nicole Chis (Highland Park, N.J./Highland Park) was honored as Rookie of the Month. Morina won the Flight B title at the Army Invitational on Sept. 23, and Chis was the winner of Flight C at the Stony Brook Classic on Sept. 16.

The Knights beat the Hawks twice last season including a 4-0 win in the NEC quarterfinals. In the April 20 win-or-go-home scenario, FDU won the doubles point then picked up singles wins from Anna Rapoport (Moscow, Russia/#1239 ), Elmine Botes (Heidelberg Gauteng, Rep. of South Africa/Hoer Volkskool and British International Distance College) and Irina Dementyeva (Moscow, Russia/W 91) for the sweep.  

Monmouth finished last season with an overall record of 4-18 and went 4-8 against the NEC. This fall, the Hawks have compiled a 7-29 record in singles play to go along with a 4-10 doubles mark. 

Following the match, the Knights will return to tournament play with the USTA Invitational in Flushing Meadows, N.Y. on Saturday, Oct. 6, through Monday, Oct. 8.