HAVERFORD, Pa. – The Haverford College women's tennis team got off to a quick start in doubles against regionally-ranked Centre by winning two of those three matches. However, the Colonels rallied with six victories in singles as the No. 14 team in the Atlantic South Region came away with a 7-2 victory on the Bettye Marshall Tennis Courts.
Both of Haverford's doubles wins came in hard-fought 8-6 matches. In the second position, Emily Shutman and Jane Bary paired up for the first time all season. Nevertheless, they were able to come together for one of Haverford's two points. A new pairing also emerged at No. 3 doubles with Clara Farrehi and Jessica Liu winning by that same 8-6 score. Centre salvaged just the one match by claiming No. 1 doubles via an 8-3 score.
With its impressive start during doubles, the Fords only needed to split the singles matches to come away with their second regionally-ranked win of the spring. However, the tiebreaks did not favor the Fords on the home courts. Abby Payson and Jia-Ling Tuan each were stifled in decisive third sets. Playing at No. 3, Payson won a tiebreak in the opening set, but was edged with a 6-4 defeat in the second. Payson won seven points in the 10-point tiebreak that ultimately fell to the Colonels. Tuan split a pair of 6-3 sets to start her match, but was edged by a 6-4 score in the third and tightest set of the evening.
Playing at No. 1 singles, Shutman nearly forced a decisive third set in her match. Competing in a tiebreak that needed extra points, the first year was edged by a 10-8 tiebreak score during the second set. That match pitted Shutman against the No. 16 player in the ITA's regional rankings. Haverford also won games at each of the other positions. Farrehi came the closest to winning a set in the even matches, falling 6-4 during her second set.
Tuesday's home opener also brought to a close the non-conference portion of the schedule for the Fords. Women's tennis begins its march to the Centennial Conference playoffs this Saturday with a trip to McDaniel. First serve in Westminster is slated for 1 p.m.