NEW YORK, NY – Harvard women's tennis defeated No. 69 Columbia, 4-3, to claim the outright Ivy League title and clinch a berth to the NCAA Tournament for the second straight season. 

The Crimson narrowly fell in doubles as each team won a match 6-3 at court one and three.  The Lions would ultimately steal the doubles point with a 7-5 victory at the No. 2 spot. 

Moving into singles, the Lions grabbed another point to move up 2-0 with a victory at the top court.  The Crimson then went to work, claiming the next three points with wins at court three, four, and five. 
Kate Kim connected first, winning in straight sets with an impressive, 6-4, 6-3, result. 

Maxi Duncan followed closely behind by beating Winta Tewolde (Columbia) at court four, 7-5, 6-3, to tie the match. 

Kavya Karra then pulled the Crimson in front and within a point of clinching with a 6-4, 7-6 (1) victory at the No. 5 spot. 

After the Lions won at court six to tie the match, Charlotte Owensby came up clutch for Harvard.  Each player at court two claimed a set 6-3 before Owensby battled to a 6-4 third-set win to clinch the Crimson victory. 

Results

Harvard – 4, Columbia – 3
Doubles

1. Gaythri Krishnan/Sophia Strugnell (Columbia) def. Maxi Duncan/Kavya Karra (Harvard), 6-3
2. Fatima Keita/Winta Tewolde (Columbia) def. Angel You/Rachel Arbitman (Harvard), 7-5
3. Stephanie Yakoff/Natalie Block (Harvard) def. Emily Baek/Sophia Wang (Columbia), 6-3

Order of finish: 1, 3, 2

Singles

1. Gayathri Krishnan (Columbia) def. Stephanie Yakoff (Harvard), 6-3, 6-2
2. Charlotte Owensby (Harvard) def. Fatima Keita (Columbia), 3-6, 6-3, 6-4
3. Kate Kim (Harvard) def. Sophia Wang (Columbia), 6-4, 6-3
4. Maxi Duncan (Harvard) def. Winta Tewolde (Columbia), 7-5, 6-3
5. Kavya Karra (Harvard) def. Emily Baek (Columbia), 6-4, 7-6 (1)
6. Sophia Strugnell (Columbia) def. Natalie Block (Harvard), 7-5, 7-6 (3)

Order of finish: 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 2

Next Up

The Crimson will await its fate in the NCAA Tournament, which begins the weekend of May 2.  The postseason will be hosted at the campuses of the top 16 teams in the nation.