NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - The 25th-ranked Haverford College women's tennis team (4-4) fell to 27th-ranked Christopher Newport (8-5) by a 6-3 final at Eyre Courts on the campus of Christopher Newport on Saturday afternoon as the eighth and ninth ranked teams in the Atlantic Regional squared off. The match capped off a two-game roadstand in Virginia.
Starting off with doubles play, the duo of Raine Weis and Tessa Trate prevailed over Abbey Russano and Ellie Esterowitz 8-3, to capture the first point of the match. The Captains followed up the victory with another win on court two, as the team of Mia Linam and Samantha Robertso took down Mimi Lavin and Summer Williams 8-2. In the final doubles match of the day, Haverford's Rachael Fitzgerald and Emily Oh defeated Kylie Schaefer and Megan Bauer 8-7 (7-3 tiebreaker), as the hosts took a 2-1 lead into singles play.
Trate began singles play with her second win of the day, picking up the win over Esterowitz 7-5, 6-4, to give the Captains a comfortable 3-1 lead. However, the Fords pulled within a point once again, after Lavin vanquished Roberston 6-3, 4-6, 6-3, to trim the Captains' lead down to 3-2. Not to be outdone, Linam was able to push the host's lead back up to 4-2, after turning away Fitzgerald 5-7, 6-0, 6-3 in the third flight.
On court number one, Weis earned her second victory of the day dispelling Russano 0-6, 6-3, 6-2, to earn the clinching fifth point for the Captains, as the Scarlet and Black trailed 5-2 with two matches remaining. Oh earned her second win of the day, getting past Kiersten Chang 6-3, 4-6, 6-3, handing Haverford their third match win on the day. In the last remaining match of the contest, Kylie Schaefer was in the driver's seat before Abhishree Menon retired in the fourth set 7-6 (7-4 tiebreaker), 2-6, 4-3, to give Christopher Newport their sixth and final point of the day.
A quick turnaround awaits the Fords for their next match, as Haveford returns to Bettye Marshall and Norman B. Bramall Tennis Courts to host TCNJ on Tuesday, April 2, for their annual Play with Pride match. First serve is scheduled for 4 p.m.