NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- Picking up their second win over a nationally-ranked opponent already this Spring, the 24th-ranked Christopher Newport men's tennis team surged to a 5-2 finish against the Fords of Haverford College, ranked No. 25 in the preseason ITA poll. The Captains improved to 5-0 on the season while Haverford dropped to 1-1 after the setback. 

The win started with a doubles sweep as Christopher Newport pulled ahead 1-0 after pairs play. Barrett Foster and Vincent Truong continued their success on the top line with a 6-2 win against Marko Arboleda and Teo Bortan while Nesh Kumaresan and Gabe Smith paired up for a dominant 6-0 win at No. 2 against Stefan Johnson and Robbie Vazquez. WIth the team point already secured, the sweep was completed with a 6-1 win at No. 3 where Rainer Christiansen played with Nathan Russell to take down Niki Lavu and Zach Miano.

The teams split the top four lines in singles to bring the clinching point within reach. The Captains won at No. 1, where Russell snuck by Arbodela, 7-6 (5), 6-2, and at No. 3, where Kumaresan defeated Vazquez in a three-setter, 6-1, 5-7, 6-3.

The Fords answered back with wins at No. 2 and 4, but CNU clinched the victory when Rainer Christiansen and Ivan Ceric pulled away for straight-set victories at No. 5 and 6, respectively. Christiansen dispose of Johnson (6-1, 6-0) and Ceric glided by Miano (6-2, 6-3). 

CNU opened the season 5-0 for the first time since 2022 and matched the longest win streak to start a year since head coach Eric Christiansen took the helm in 2013. The longest consecutive wins streak to start a season came in 1978 when Jack Armistead led CNU to a 15-0 overall record. The last time a team won more than five duals to start the season was in 2002 when the Captains were 8-0.