SWARTHMORE, Pa. - The Haverford College women's tennis team opened up its 2023 fall slate with the first day of action at the annual Swarthmore Invitational at the Faulkner Courts on Friday afternoon. The Fords won six of the 11 total matches it contested against the Garnet, prevailing 3-1 in doubles and going 3-4 in singles play. 

In doubles action, the pairing of Ellie Esterowitz and Mimi Lavin prevailed over the Lola Diaz/Daniela Padron Castillo team by an 8-4 final, while Emily Oh returned to the lineup with Summer Williams, knocking off Riya Rao and Ruthie Njagi by an 8-5 scoreline. Erika Phanord and Abhishree Menon got past Alice Cox and Katherine Zawada, 8-4.

Moving into singles play, Abbey Russano defeated Erica Stutz in straight sets (6-1, 7-5) and Lavin made quick work of Zawada (6-0, 6-4). Williams rallied from a 6-0 loss in the first set to storm back and defeat Njagi 6-1 in the second set, setting the stage for a 10-3 triumph in the super-breaker. Lisa Messier got the best of Annie Barrett (6-2, 6-1) and Jenny Lewis dispatched Sriya Krishnan (6-1, 6-0). Riya Rao outlasted Emily Oh in a super-breaker (7-5, 2-6, 10-6). 

With the first day of action in the books, women's tennis will now return to action at Swarthmore on Saturday, September 16 with neutral-site matchups against Stevens and Franklin & Marshall on the docket. Matches will begin at 10 a.m and continue into the afternoon.