ORLANDO, Fla. – The Haverford College women's tennis team finished its week of spring break in Orlando, Florida with a perfect 7-0 record following two more wins on Friday. The team's perfect record marks the first time in program history that Haverford has gone undefeated during its annual trip to Florida. The Fords (7-1) started the day with a 6-3 win over Colorado College before a 5-4 nail-biter against Connecticut College.
The Fords found themselves down 2-1 after doubles in both of Friday's matches. In the opening match against Colorado College, it was the Fords' No. 2 pairing of Greta Koch- teaming up with Jessica Liu for the first time - that earned the doubles point. Working together in stride, Haverford's middle pairing rolled to an 8-2 win. The Fords had chances at both No. 1 and No. 3 doubles, but ultimately fell by tight 8-6 and 9-7 scores in those respective matches.
Moving over to singles play, Koch and Robyn Himelstein gave Haverford the lead back. Koch, playing No. 2 singles, allowed just four games to her opponent during a 6-1, 6-3 victory. At No. 3 singles, Himelstein also allowed just four games to her opponent as she reversed Koch's set scores with a 6-3, 6-1 win.
Haverford claimed the match win at five and six. Liu put the Fords on the brink of victory with a 6-4, 6-2 victory at No. 5 singles as she and Koch both helped the Fords to points in both singles and doubles. Kristen Andersen sealed the team victory with a tight 6-4, 7-5 win at No. 6. For good measure, Abby Payson added a 10-point tiebreak win at No. 4. After splitting the first two sets, Payson took the tiebreak 10-8 for her match win and the team's sixth point. Caitlin Gallagher nearly forced a 10-point tiebreak at the top singles slot. However, she was edged out 7-4 in points during the second set tiebreak.
In the Fords' narrow 5-4 win against Connecticut College to close out the week of competition, it was the No. 1 doubles pairing of Gallagher and Himelstein that garnered the doubles point with an 8-4 victory.
Trailing 2-1 heading into singles, Andersen and Liu each recorded singles victories for the second straight match to put Haverford up 3-2. Andersen and Liu, playing at their same positions, each earned 6-2, 6-2 straight set victories. Andersen finished her week a perfect 4-0 in Florida, while Liu won all seven of her singles matches and is now 8-0 during the spring, 9-1 overall this season in singles.
Connecticut College picked up a 6-2, 6-2 win of its own at the No. 3 singles spot to tie the team score at three-all. However, Koch answered the latest challenge with a 10-point tiebreak win to put Haverford up 4-3. Koch dropped a tiebreak in the first set, but rebounded with a 6-3 second set win. She took her tiebreak by a 10-6 final. Koch also finished her week in Florida with a 7-0 record.
Payson connected on the match-winning points at No. 4 singles to secure the team victory. She allowed just three games over the two sets. Payson is now 7-1 this spring at that slot. Gallagher gained five games in her top singles match, but Connecticut College claimed the top slot to bring the team score to 5-4.
When the Fords return to Pennsylvania, they will begin preparation for the final non-conference match of the regular season at Wilkes. That match will be played Thursday at 3:30 p.m.