NEWPORT NEWS, Va.. — The No. 35 Haverford College women's tennis team (3-2) dropped a tightly contested 4–3 decision to No. 32 Whitman (11-7) on Saturday morning at the Eyre Courts on the campus of Christopher Newport University, as part of the Natalie Pitts Memorial Invitational.
Whitman opened the match by securing the doubles point, taking two of three tightly played contests. At first doubles, Renata Rosell Puga and Nana Vang edged Jolie Zink and Adelaide Kreutel 7–6, (7-4). At third doubles, Bailey Bell and Julia Longpre defeated Aarti Prochnow and Mallika Reddy 6–4. At second doubles, Abhishree Menon and Natalia Chapa were in a competitive match with Gloria Lau and Sascha Wells when play was halted due to a Haverford retirement, as Whitman earned the doubles point.
In singles action, Haverford picked up three wins but ultimately came up just short in the overall team result.
Prochnow was first to an earn a singles victory for Haverford, battling back after dropping the opening set before Whitman's Rosell Puga was forced to retire, giving Haverford an early point. Reddy followed at fourth singles with a strong 6–3, 6–1 victory over Longpre, while Kreutel came off next at third singles, falling 6–3, 6–4 to Wells. Menon was next to finish at sixth singles, dropping a 7–5, 6–2 decision to Lau.
Zink then delivered a hard-fought three-set win at first singles, defeating Vang 7–6, (7-4) 6–2 to keep the Fords within striking distance. Capone closed out singles play at fifth singles, pushing Bell to three sets before falling 1–6, 6–2, 6–2. Whitman ultimately held on for the 4–3 team victory.
The Fords will return to the Eyre Courts on Sunday, March 22, at 9 a.m., taking on No. 15 Tufts on the final day of the Natalie Pitts Memorial Invitational.
