GETTYSBURG, Pa. – The Haverford College men's tennis team opened up Centennial Conference play with a 7-2 win at Gettysburg. The Fords (3-2, 1-0 CC) found themselves in a 2-1 hole after the conclusion of the doubles matches, but responded with a sweep of all six singles wins to claim the conference victory.
Playing at No. 2 doubles, Harrison Elbert and Caleb Mayer picked up a hard-fought 8-6 win to earn the Fords' first point of the match. Haverford's top duo of Dais Nakayama and Ishaan Prinz had their doubles match fall the way of the Bullets by an identical 8-6 score. At No. 3 doubles, Benjamin Soloway and Eli Phelps picked up five games in their match together.
Once the play entered singles competition, Haverford began to roll and turned five of its six singles victories into straight set wins. After winning in doubles, Mayer did not allow a game at No. 5 singles in his 6-0, 6-0 win. The other half of the Fords' No. 2 doubles pairing, Elbert, also helped Haverford to a pair of points. After a 6-3 first set, Elbert shut down his opponent for the victory.
Haverford also had straight set wins at Nos. 1, 2, and 4. Nakayama earned the win at No. 1 singles. He opened with a 7-5 win in the first set and closed with a convincing 6-1 second set victory. Zack Mason came out firing at No. 2 singles with a 6-1 victory in the opening set before a 6-4 second set win closed his victory. Prinz pulled out a 7-6 (4) extra point win to start his match before a 6-3 set to close the match.
Soloway closed the match with his win in the tightest singles competition of the afternoon. He picked up a 6-4 opening set win, but was forced to play a decisive set when he came up on the wrong side of the 6-3 second. With the team score decided, Soloway and his opponent played a seven-point tiebreak to decide the match. Soloway emerged from the tiebreak with a 7-1 victory in those extra points.
Men's tennis will be back in action Saturday when McDaniel comes to Haverford. That match is scheduled for an 11 a.m. start if the match can be played outside. If indoors, the men's side will follow the women's match. The women's side is also slated for an 11 a.m. start.