Season Outlook
The Haverford College men’s tennis team is not looking at the upcoming season as the glass half full; they see it as completely full and spilling over the top, and for good reason. The Fords return 10 seniors, led by reigning Centennial Conference Player of the Year and All-American Thomas Kinrade and fellow All-American Alex Buxbaum. Haverford is excited about the 2009 campaign and with its veteran leadership the goals are set to be ranked within the top-30 nationally and to win a conference title.
Singles
The singles lineup will boast quality strength and depth up and down the ladder. The Fords will be led by Buxbaum, Kinrade and Evan Stiegel.
“All three of these guys could play at the No. 1 position,” believes head coach Sean Sloane.
Hailiu Yang, Marc Rudolph, Will Garrett and Kellan Webb will all fill out the rest of the ladder. In addition, Sloane expects senior Jeff Monhait to vie for a singles spot.
“Jeff made tremendous improvement last year and will have a chance to play at the Nos. 5 or 6 spot,” said Sloane.
Doubles
In dual match play, doubles sets the tone for a match and can boost a team to victory. Haverford expects its doubles play to set the table for many victories in 2009. 2007 All-American’s Kinrade and Buxbaum will lead the way at the No. 1 position followed by Stiegel and Yang who advanced to the consolation final of the ITA Fall Regional. A combination of Steve Feder, Rudolph and Webb will play at the No. 3 spot.
Schedule
The Fords schedule will present challenges right away as they face Vassar College at the conclusion of their spring break trip to Florida. Vassar, like Haverford, finished the fall No. 11 in their respective region. Last year Vassar dealt the Fords a 9-0 loss to end their spring break trip. A victory this year would be a huge momentum boost when HC makes a weekend trip to Christopher Newport and Mary Washington from March 21-22. Both teams are ranked ahead of Haverford in the Atlantic South Region and will prepare the Fords for a tough Centennial Conference schedule.
Haverford faces an always tough Washington squad on Apr. 1 and three days later an up-and-coming Dickinson team. After hosting the College of New Jersey (No. 7 in Northeast Region) the Fords close out conference play with archrival Swarthmore on Apr. 21 and at reigning CC champion Johns Hopkins on Apr. 25.
Last season HC ended the regular season with a loss to the Garnet. A few days later the Fords snapped their 50-match losing streak to Swarthmore with a 5-4 win in the Centennial semifinals. Rudolph clinched the victory with a third set win at No. 4 singles to put HC in the final versus Hopkins.
This season Haverford hopes to take it one step further.