SWARTHMORE, Pa. - The Haverford College women's tennis team kicked off the 2024 fall season at Faulkner Courts on the Swarthmore College campus, taking on host Swarthmore in the opening day of the Swarthmore Invitational.

In doubles action, the duo of Rachael Fitzgerald and Abhishree Menon fell to Swarthmore's Ella Strickler and Brianna Viets, 8-4. Meanwhile, first-years Mallika Reddy and Lucy King notched their debut victory together, defeating Veronica Komorek and Ruthie Njagi, 8-2.

Singles play featured several hard-fought matches. Reddy battled in a tiebreaker against Kathleen Shiffer, who claimed the first set 6-4. Reddy responded with a 6-2 win in the second, but Shiffer edged out a 10-5 win in the deciding super tiebreaker. Fitzgerald also fought back from a 6-4 first-set deficit to win her match against Lara Geib, taking the second set 6-2 and prevailing in the super tiebreaker 10-7.

King secured her first collegiate singles victory with a commanding 6-2, 6-0 win over Marisa Geib, while Lisa Messier defeated Menon, 6-1, 6-0.

With day one of competition complete, the Fords will return to Swarthmore on Saturday for neutral-site matches against Stevens and Franklin & Marshall. Play begins at 10 a.m. and will continue throughout the afternoon.