(Haverford, Pa.) – The Dickinson men's tennis team turned in a strong performance but fell to Haverford College, 5-2, in the first round of the Centennial Conference playoffs.

The Devils trailed 3-0 after doubles. Dais Nakayama and Ishaan Prinz opened with an 8-1 win at number two, topping first-years Shawn Diniz (Upper Saddle River, N.J./Northern Highlands) and Samuel Loring (New York, N.Y./Blair Academy).

Luis Acaba and Harrison Elbert turned back Steven Kaplan (Pelham, N.Y./Pelham Memorial) and Clark Chapman (Princeton, N.J./Montgomery), 8-1, in the top doubles flight. Josh Kaseff (Westport, Conn./Staples) and Evan Davis (Westport, Conn./Staples) put up a fight in the third flight, falling to Eli Phelps and Benjamin Soloway, 8-6.

Acaba opened with a 6-1, 6-1 win over Kaplan in the top singles flight. The 'Fords closed out the match with a 6-2, 6-1 decision as Zach Mason topped Diniz in the third flight.

Chapman moved into the #2-spot to replace an injured Joey Frank (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla./Boca Raton), facing Nakayama. He dropped the first set, 6-0, and trailed 3-1 in the second before regrouping to pull even, 6-4. He carried the momentum into the third to earn the point.

Kaseff claimed his opening set in the fourth flight, 6-1. Elbert countered in the second, pulling even. 6-1, but Kaseff rallied to capture the third set and the match. Davis went up, 1-0, with a 6-2 start in the sixth flight, and led 5-2 in the second while Loring dropped his first set, 6-2, and led 5-3 when the match was concluded.

Haverford won a 5-2 decision and will advance to Saturdays' semifinal at top-seed Johns Hopkins. The Red Devils finish the season 8-6 overall.