Broadbent took the first game 9-6 and led 8-3 in the second, building his lead as much of the play was contested in the frontcourt. But Illingworth saved two game balls before reeling off seven consecutive points to even the match.

Illingworth then fell behind 2-1 in the third game before winning the serve back with a skillful return and running off three straight points. Broadbent briefly interrupted Illingworth’s spurt, finishing a point in which he dove to keep it alive and both players hit shots off the back wall with a great shot, but Illingworth recovered to take the game 9-2.

Broadbent roared back to take the fourth game 9-1, finishing one point with an emphatic kill that prompted Blumberg to bow from the stands in a “we’re not worthy” gesture.

In the fifth game, Broadbent managed to hold off Illingworth 9-6 despite the best efforts of the home crowd.

Oren also needed five games to outlast a visibly tired intercollegiate No. 13 Anshul Manchanda at No. 3, while Whitman dropped a five-game battle at No. 8 to No. 46 Trevor Rees, who donned a Chuck Knoblauch No. 11 New York Yankees t-shirt after seeing a 1-0 lead turn into a 2-1 deficit.

HARVARD 9, WESTERN ONTARIO 0

WALLINGFORD, Conn.—Harvard opened the tournament by cruising to a 9-0 win over the University of Western Ontario on the campus of Choate Rosemary Hall.

Canadians Blumberg and De Lierre celebrated the reunion with 3-0 victories, as did six of their teammates.

—Staff writer Alan G. Ginsberg can be reached at aginsber@fas.harvard.edu.