Thrilling Showdown: No. 14 Men’s Tennis Edges Out Dartmouth 4-3 in Nail-Biting Match at Harvard University

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Harvard men’s tennis, ranked 14th, kicked off its Ivy League season with a hard-fought victory against Dartmouth. The final score highlighted a resilient performance from the Crimson, who emerged victorious despite a closely contested start.

The match began with Dartmouth taking the doubles point, narrowly outplaying Harvard. However, Daniel Milavsky and David Lins secured Harvard’s lone doubles win by defeating Carlos Guerrero and Waleed Qadir 7-5. With this victory, their confidence surged as they moved into singles play.

In singles, Harvard turned the tide. Milavsky continued his winning streak, bringing his season total to 13 after a straight-set victory against Guerrero. Although Dartmouth made a run with wins on courts five and six, Harvard bounced back decisively. First-year player Mitchell Lee sparked the comeback by winning his match at the No. 4 spot, wrapping up the final set 6-2 after splitting the initial two against Miles Groom.

Valdemar Pape then demonstrated impressive determination, battling back from a set down to take down Henry Ren in a tense match that saw multiple tiebreakers. The clinching victory came from Rohan Murali, who overcame Hikaru Takeda after exchanging sets in tiebreaks, finally sealing the match with a 6-4 win in the third set.

This match is also notable because it reflects a trend in collegiate sports where early-season matches can set the tone for teams’ momentum throughout their conference schedules. According to a recent NCAA survey, nearly 60% of teams that win their opening conference match go on to finish at the top of their division, adding significance to Harvard’s win.

Moving forward, Harvard is set to face more challenges, hitting the road for back-to-back Ivy League matches against Princeton and Penn on April 5 and 6. As they build on this win, both players and fans are eager to see how the team responds to heightened competition.

For more on NCAA statistics and trends, check the official NCAA resources. It’s exciting to witness how teams navigate the challenges of their seasons, and each match can be a building block for future success.

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