REDLANDS, Calif. – The Haverford College men's tennis team (5-2) continued its impressive spring break campaign, improving to 4-0 in its Southern California stint with a pair of victories at the Coach Jim Verdieck Tennis Center on Wednesday. The Fords first swept Wabash with a 4-0 decision in a match played to completion before edging No. 20 Redlands in a dramatic 4-3 showdown in the nightcap.
Haverford 4, Wabash 0
The match began with doubles play, where Haverford secured the crucial first point. On court three, the duo of Max Beckwith and Maxfield Ma defeated Tharakesh Ashokar and Ethan Koeneman 6-2, while Marko Arboleda and Owen Kilmer clinched the doubles point with a hard-fought 6-4 win over Rafael Rin and Murilo Guarniari. James McKenzie and Justin Minerva completed the doubles sweep with a commanding 6-2 victory over Cole Shifferly and Augusto Ghidini on court one.
As singles play commenced, rain showers interrupted the action, causing a 60-minute delay. Once play resumed, Minerva quickly extended Haverford's lead with a dominant 6-0, 6-3 win on court three. Kilmer followed with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Rin on court two, pushing the Fords' advantage to 3-0.
Chait Krishna sealed the victory on court five, defeating Maksymilian Domanski 6-4, 6-4 to clinch the 4-0 win. Due to match-play format constraints, the remaining matches involving McKenzie, Niki Lavu, and Danny Loder were halted once Haverford secured the decisive fourth point.
Haverford 4, No. 20 Redlands 3
Just over an hour later, Haverford returned to the courts for a thrilling battle against host Redlands with the sun setting behind the picturesque San Bernardino Mountains. Haverford ultimately prevailed 4-3 in a match that went down to the wire.
In doubles play, the Bulldogs struck first as Marlon Abarca and Cooper Whittington bested Arboleda and Kilmer 6-2 on court two. Redlands then clinched the doubles point when Zac Nakajima and Gustavo Marcanth edged Zach Miano and Teo Bortan 6-4. The final doubles match, featuring Minerva and McKenzie, was left unfinished once Redlands secured the point.
Redlands extended its lead to 2-0 in singles play as Vitomir Petcov defeated Kilmer 6-4, 6-4 at the third flight. Marcanth then put the Bulldogs on the brink of victory, dispatching McKenzie 6-3, 6-3 at the second flight.
Facing a daunting 3-0 deficit, Haverford mounted a furious comeback. Arboleda outlasted Dominic Anderson in a three-set battle, taking the opener 6-2 before Anderson responded with a 7-5 win. Arboleda regained control in the decider, prevailing 6-3 to put Haverford on the board.
Lavu kept the momentum going at the fourth flight, securing a gritty three-set victory over Jack Hinkle. After winning the first set 6-2, Lavu dropped a tiebreaker 7-6 (7-5) in the second. However, he bounced back to take the third set 6-4, bringing the Fords within one at 3-2.
On court six, Krishna took the first set 6-4 before Whittington forced a deciding set with a 7-6 tiebreak win. In a high-pressure third set, Krishna held his nerve to claim a 7-6 (7-4) victory, leveling the match at 3-3.
All eyes turned to court five, where Minerva and Abarca battled in a decisive thriller. Minerva took the first set in a dominant tiebreaker 7-6 (7-1), but Abarca responded with a 6-3 win in the second. With the match on the line, Minerva prevailed 6-4 in the third set, sparking a raucous celebration as Haverford secured its first ranked win of the season.
The victory marked Haverford's highest-ranked win since a 5-4 triumph over then-No. 12 Johns Hopkins on April 2, 2022. The Fords continue their Southern California tour tomorrow, facing another ranked opponent in No. 34 Caltech. The match is set for 2 p.m. PT/5 p.m. ET in Pasadena, Calif.
