HAVERFORD, Pa. - On Sunday, Haverford welcomed Penn for the second time this season after their 64-run defeat in season opener. While the Fords lost their Saturday match, they showed their improvement over the season, holding off Penn for 18 overs in their defense of 113.

While the Fords were able to welcome senior captain Gulesh Shukla back, he was without his co-captain Simon Babb. This meant that Josh Corbett would once again join Mohanish Bajaj to open Haverford's innings. 

Corbett ended his innings prematurely due to an ankle injury which brought Shukla to the crease. Shukla and Bajaj built off the foundation laid by Corbett, playing safe shots while pushing up the run rate. The pair put up Haverford's highest power play total this season with 27 runs. Bajaj would have to depart first scoring 13 runs off 27 deliveries. Shukla would be supported by an effective and useful 10 from Samanyu Kurra and 7 from Sidd Phatak. Before being bowled in the 18th over, Shukla would contribute a watchful 38 off 44.  

Eugene Yang and Nathan Moore would use their speed to make sure the innings ended on a high. Seeming to take a quick single off anything, the pair put up an 11-run stand, including an 8 run final over. 

Phatak would join Yang with the new ball once again. The Penn innings started well for Haverford, with Phatak dismissing the batsman for a Royal Duck off the first delivery of the innings. The Penn opener attempted to take on Phatak's pace, mistiming an on-drive to send the ball straight to Yang at mid-on. However, the momentum swung back in Penn's favor, scoring 52 runs off their first six overs.

Rebecca Stern would break the partnership, with a sharp throw sailing directly into the stumps to run-out the non-striker. Shukla would continue to swing the momentum the next over, beating the batsman with an exquisite yorker which clean bowled the batsman. The Fords went into the halfway mark having dismissed the two set batsman and still having 50 runs in hand to finish their defense.

Penn, however, would find another decent partnership. Haverford did well to restrict the run rate below six, as well as take a couple of wickets—one coming from Shukla, who trapped the batsman LBW; another from Bajaj, running back to complete a catch off his own bowling.  These efforts unfortunately proved too little too late, as Penn needed just 13 runs in four overs after Bajaj's wicket. The Fords lasted two overs before Penn eventually overtook the total. Penn would win by five wickets with two overs remaining, 113-5 to 114-5 (18.0/20).

Despite the loss, Haverford found some positive takeaways. Haverford showed definitive improvement from the last time they faced Penn and came within a dozen deliveries of defending a difficult total. The Fords now face off Merion Cricket Club and against Germantown Cricket Club in a home doubleheader next weekend.