FREDERICKSBURG, Va. - The Haverford College men's tennis team (1-1) split a pair of season-opening matches on Saturday, falling to No. 26 Mary Washington 5-2, before defeating Virginia Wesleyan 7-0. Both matches took place at the University Tennis Center on the campus of the University of Mary Washington.
#26 Mary Washington 5, (RV) Haverford 2
New for the 2025 season, only one point will be awarded to the team who won at least two of the three doubles matches, and Mary Washington took advantage of that new format, picking up two of the victories to pick up the opening point. On court two, Trevor Rein and John Riordan got past Marko Arboleda and Owen Kilmer 6-3, before the Eagles duo of William Fromherz and Matt Scott dispelled the first-year pair of Teo Bortan and Zach Miano 6-3. Court one saw the first tiebreaker of the day, as Haverford's James McKenzie and Justin Minverva got the better of Evan Fisher and Brock Ladehoff 7-6 (7-4 tiebreaker).
Mary Washington continued their momentum in single play, collecting their second point of the day on court five, as Albert Vladimirsky prevailed over Chait Krishna 6-3, 0-6, 6-4. Kilmer was able to answer back for the Fords on court three, claiming a 2-6, 6-2, 6-4, victory over Evan Fisher, to trim the host's lead down to 2-1. The Eagles extended their lead at the sixth flight, as Scott defeated Minerva 7-5, 1-6, 6-4, for a crucial third point.
The Eagles clinched the opening match at court four, as Ryan King vanquished Niki Lavu 5-7, 7-5, 6-2, to make the match score 4-1. Mckenzie earned his first Spring singles win of the year in the second flight, downing Ladehoff 6-2, 6-7, 7-5, before Rein notched his second victory of the day, defeating Arboleda 7-6 (7-3 tiebreaker), 5-7, 6-4, to seal up a 5-2 win for Mary Washington
(RV) Haverford 7, Virginia Wesleyan 0
Haverford picked up a crucial first victory in doubles play, as James Mckenize and Justin Minerva picked up a 6-4 vicotry over Hovhannes Madanyan and Sebastian Muller on the first court, before first-year duo Teo Bortan and Zach Miano clinched the lone doubles point, with a 6-3 victory over Tudor Vlad and Frieso Ter Schiphorst on court three. In the second doubles flight, Rafael and Carlos Rullan bested the duo Marko Arboleda and Owen Kilmer 7-6.
The Fords kept their foot firmly on the pedal as singles play began, with Chait Krishna earning his first victory of the day on court five, taking down Sainandan Challagundla 6-0, 6-2, before the Fords tacked on their third point of the day on court three, as Kilmer secured a 6-0, 6-1, win over Muller. The fourth point was secured by Minerva, who defeated Madanyan 6-1, 6-2, clinching the match for Haverford.
To wrap up the match, McKenzie turned away Rafael Rullan 6-4, 6-0, Arboleda got past Tudor 6-2, 6-1, and Niki Lavu prevailed over Carlos Rullan 6-1. 6-3.
Men's Tennis will return to action on Saturday, March 1, as No. 5 Denison pays a visit to Alumni Field House for Haverford's long anticipated home opener, with action beginning at 4 p.m.