HAVERFORD, Pa. - The Haverford College women's tennis team opened the spring campaign with a 6-3 victory over visiting New York University on Friday night at the Gary Lutnick Tennis & Track Center inside Alumni Field House.

The Fords (1-0) jumped out a 3-0 lead in the match by sweeping past the Violets (0-1) in doubles action. Senior Alex Ferrara and junior Caitlin Gallagher teamed up to earn an 8-5 victory at top-flight doubles while senior Kate Donches and sophomore Robyn Himelstein registered their victory at the No. 2 spot by the identical 8-5 score.

A determined effort by freshmen Abby Payson and Jessica Liu resulted in a narrow 9-8 victory at No. 3 doubles as the duo earned a 7-3 win in the tiebreaker.

Himelstein provided Haverford's next point with a quick win (6-0, 6-1) over Ramya Pokala at No. 3 singles. Ferrara, playing at No. 2 singles, followed suit with a straight-set victory (6-2, 6-3) over Mari Tzakis and junior Kristen Andersen accounted for the Fords' final point of the match with a win at No. 6.

Gallagher almost delivered another point at No. 1 singles but fell to Alison Wang in a three-hour marathon (6-1, 4-6, 1-0 (19-17)).

Haverford, ranked 16th in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Atlantic South gets back into action on Monday, March 10 when it takes on The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) during a spring break trip to Orlando, Fla. The match against the Lions (7-0),ranked 14th in the Northeast Region, begins at 11 a.m.