Guruge’s co-captain Cece Cortes, taking the No. 6 spot, made her season debut after returning from a hip injury. The senior won her debut in straight games over sophomore Courtney Jones.

Also extending their unbeaten streaks were juniors Natasha Kingshott and Sarah Mumanachit. Kingshott, playing in the No. 5 position, overcame a first-game loss to junior Stephanie Vogel by taking the next three on her way to a 6-0 record. Mumanachit, who also improved to 6-0 on the year, won in straight games against freshman Colleen Fehm.

In the No. 9 matchup, junior Eliza Calihan dropped her first game, 14-12, before coming back to tie the match at one. But Penn sophomore Chloe Blacker would take the next two matches, handing Calihan her first loss of the season.

Saturday’s match marks the beginning of a difficult stretch for the Crimson. Harvard will continue Ivy League play on Sunday as they take on Princeton at the Murr Center, followed by Trinity the next weekend.

“Today was the first tough match of the season, but I think everyone is excited to play these games because this is what we’ve been training for all season,” Guruge said.

—Staff writer Peter G. Cornick can be reached at pcornick@college.harvard.edu.