PRINCETON, N.J. – Harvard women's tennis (4-4) split the final two matches of the ECAC Championships this weekend, falling to Princeton before dropping Dartmouth, 4-3, on the final day. 

How it Happened vs. Princeton

In the second match of the weekend, the Crimson were tripped up by the Tigers, 4-1.  Princeton opened the contest with the doubles point following wins on court two and three. 

The Tigers continued their early match momentum into singles, recording victories at the No. 3 and No. 6 spots to quickly pull within a point of clinching.

Claire Shao tallied the Crimson's sole point of the day, defeating Madeleine Jessup (Princeton) in straight sets, 6-3, 6-2.

The Tigers then sealed the match with a 6-4, 6-2 win on court two with two matches outstanding.

Results vs. Princeton

Harvard – 1, Princeton – 4
Doubles

1. Kavya Karra/Stephanie Yakoff (Harvard) vs. Tsehay Driscoll/Pearlie Zhang (Princeton), 5-4 DNF
2. Bella Chhiv/Eva Elbaz (Princeton) def. Natalie Block/Natasha Rajaram (Harvard), 6-4
3. Maren Urata/Alice Ferlito (Princeton) def. Kate Kim/Claire Shao (Harvard), 6-1

Order of finish: 3, 2
Singles

1. Stephanie Yakoff (Harvard) vs. Alice Ferlito (Princeton), 6-7 (3), 3-2 DNF
2. Bella Chhiv (Princeton) def. Kavya Karra (Harvard), 6-4, 6-2
3. Eva Elbaz (Princeton) def. Natasha Rajaram (Harvard), 6-0, 6-2
4. Claire Shao (Harvard) def. Madeleine Jessup (Princeton), 6-3, 6-2
5. Anna-Raphaëlle Serghi (Harvard) def. Anna Maria Fedotova (Princeton), 4-6, 4-3
6. Pearlie Zhang (Princeton) def. Kate Kim (Harvard), 6-1, 6-0

Order of finish: 3, 6, 4, 2

How it Happened vs. Dartmouth

Harvard closed out the weekend by winning a 4-3 marathon match against Dartmouth this morning.  Despite Kavya Karra and Stephanie Yakoff recording a 6-2 win at the top court, the Big Green took an early lead with the doubles point.

The Crimson responded, however, grabbing the next three points with wins on the top three singles courts.  Karra kicked things off, defeating Michela Moore (Dartmouth) in straight sets, 6-3, 6-3.

Yakoff followed, taking the opening set against Peyton Capuano in a tiebreak (7-6 (5)) and then cruising to an unblemished second set. 

Claire Shao brought the Crimson within a point of clinching as she tallied her third win of the weekend.  After falling in the opening set, Shao won the following sets 6-2 and 7-5 to defeat Alexandra Orlins. 

The Big Green pressured the Crimson, winning the next two matches on court four and five to tie the contest. 

In the final outstanding match, Andra Braicu came back after falling in the opening set to clinch it for Harvard.  The first-year was clutch, winning the second 6-4 and then putting up a perfect, 6-0, third set to drop Caroline Lemcke (Dartmouth). 

Results vs. Dartmouth

Harvard – 4, Dartmouth – 3
Doubles

1. Kavya Karra/Stephanie Yakoff (Harvard) def. Peyton Capuano/Michela Moore (Dartmouth), 6-2
2. Alexandra Orlins/Sam Grosjean (Dartmouth) def. Kate Kim/Claire Shao (Harvard), 6-4
3. Josephine Lombardi/Elise Wong (Dartmouth) def. Natalie Block/Natasha Rajaram (Harvard), 7-5

Order of finish: 1, 3, 2
Singles

1. Stephanie Yakoff (Harvard) def. Peyton Capuano (Dartmouth), 7-6 (5), 6-0
2. Kavya Karra (Harvard) def. Michela Moore (Dartmouth), 6-3, 6-3
3. Claire Shao (Harvard) def. Alexandra Orlins (Dartmouth), 2-6, 6-2, 7-5
4. Lauren Han (Dartmouth) def. Anna-Raphaëlle Serghi (Harvard), 6-1, 6-4
5. Sam Grosjean (Darmouth) def. Kate Kim (Harvard), 4-6, 6-4, 6-2
6. Andra Braicu (Harvard) def. Caroline Lemcke (Dartmouth), 3-6, 6-4, 6-0

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

Next Up

The Crimson will return to Cambridge to take on Baylor on Sunday, February 15 at 11:30 a.m. ET.  The match will be broadcast on Harvard Athletics TikTok and Facebook and on the Harvard Women's Tennis Instagram.