HAVERFORD, Pa. - The second-seeded Haverford College women's tennis team (10-7) fell to third-seeded Franklin & Marshall (12-5) in a tightly contested Centennial Conference Semifinal by a score of 4-3 on Friday afternoon. The match took place at the Bettye Marshall and Norman B. Bramall Tennis Courts on Haverford's campus. Haverford was making its seventh consecutive CC semfinals appearance.  

With one point at stake in doubles play, Franklin & Marshall struck first as the Diplomats' Kathryn Colclough and Presley Daggett defeated Caroline Gay and Erika Phanord 6-2 on court three. The Fords responded on court one, where Mallika Reddy and Rachael Fitzgerald edged out Mackenzie Sherman and Jenna Harrison 7-6 (7-5) in a dramatic tiebreaker.

The intensity carried over to court two, where Sahara Ahmad and Natalie Untermeyer faced off against Abhishree Menon and Lucy King. Tied 6-6, the match came down to another tense tiebreaker. Ahmad and Untermeyer prevailed 9-7 to win 7-6 (9-7), giving the Diplomats the all-important doubles point.

Franklin & Marshall extended its lead to 2-0 with a 6-3, 6-1 win by Rebecca Bellick over Gay on court six. Haverford narrowed the gap as King defeated Ahmad 6-2, 6-3 on court two. Fitzgerald then evened the match at 2-2 with a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Harrison at the top flight.

The back-and-forth continued as Sophia Rhazali outlasted Phanord 6-4, 3-6, 6-1 to give the Diplomats a 3-2 edge. Reddy answered for Haverford with a comeback 0-6, 6-3, 6-4 win over Untermeyer on court two, tying the match at 3-3.

With the outcome hinging on court four, Sherman and Phanord battled deep into the third set. Sherman claimed the first set 7-5, while Phanord responded with a 6-3 second set. Ultimately, Sherman prevailed 6-1 in the final set, sealing the 7-5, 3-6, 6-1 win and clinching the match for Franklin & Marshall.

With the result, the 2025 season concludes for the Fords. As they look ahead to 2025–26, Haverford can reflect proudly on a strong campaign, highlighted by the duo of Fitzgerald and Reddy earning a No. 10 ranking in the ITA Atlantic South Regional Doubles Rankings, and Fitzgerald individually achieving a No. 20 regional singles ranking as of April 10.