ALLENTOWN, Pa. -  The 25th-ranked Haverford College men's tennis team (3-2, 1-0 CC) opened up Centennial Conference play on Wednesday indoors at the Dietrich Field House on the campus of Muhlenberg College, picking up a 7-0 win over the host Mules (1-2, 0-1 CC)

The Fords picked up the doubles point by sweeping all three doubles matches in the early goings. Niki Lavu and Caden Hsia needed just 16 minutes for a 6-0 blanking of Matthew Miller and Casey Knipe at the second flight before Lucio Kombo and Noah Wolff were tested but came up victorious in a 6-3 decision at the third flight. With the point assured for the Fords, Stefan Johnson and Teo Bortan outlasted Owen Dyer and William Rose at the top flight by a 7-5 decision. 

With the doubles point in hand, Haverford turned to singles needing just three wins to secure the team result against Muhlenberg. The clincher came from the top half of the lineup, as the order of finish played a key role in how the afternoon unfolded.

At the third flight,  Zach Miano was first off the courts, setting the tone with a 6-3, 6-1 victory. Moments later, Chait Krishna followed suit, battling through a tight opening set before pulling away for a 7-5, 6-3 win to put the Fords on the brink with a triumph at the second flight. 

The decisive point came from the top spot. At No. 1, Marko Arboleda dropped the opening set 6-4 but steadied in the second and took control late against Dyer, rallying for a 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 triumph. His three-set comeback clinched the team victory and gave Haverford an insurmountable 4-0 advantage with three courts still in progress.

With the outcome secured, the Fords continued to press on. Arnav Nemali was next to finish at No. 4, conceding just one game in a commanding 6-0, 6-1 decision. Alejandro Rodriguez added a 6-1, 6-0 win at No. 5, and Maxfield Ma closed the afternoon at No. 6 with an 8-6 pro-set victory.

The Fords claimed five straight-set wins and one three-set comeback, with the top three positions accounting for the first three finishes and the clinching point in a comprehensive sweep..

With a conference victory now in tow, Haverford returns to action in Southern California, as the Fords head out to play a stacked schedule of opponents in the Los Angeles area. The first matchup on the docket is slated for Monday, March 9 against No. 16 Pomona-Pitzer at 4 p.m. PT (7 p.m. ET).