Penn senior Nikki Ptak had a score to settle with Penn State's Leigh Ann Merryman after Ptak had lost a close match to Merryman last year.
But she got her revenge on this day, as the Penn women's tennis team swept Penn State, 7-0, in its opening dual match Saturday.
"I lost to her last year at Penn State," she said. "It was a big match and I did really well this time around."
Ptak was referring to her 6-2, 6-2 dismantling of her opponent.
In addition, she earned an 8-3 doubles victory with sophomore Caroline Stanislawski over the Nittany Lions (1-1).
Junior Shelah Chao also came up big for the Quakers (2-0) in the day match.
"I won the second set pretty easily," she said. "I'm happy I pulled that one out."
Sophomore Sara Schiffman debuted as a starter in impressive fashion, dominating Penn State's Katelyn BeVard, 6-0, 6-1.
Penn coach Michael Dowd was pleased with the victory over the Nittany Lions.
"Outside of the Ivy League, they're probably our biggest rival," he said.
The Red and Blue went into the night match with momentum from the win over Penn State, but hard-hitting Colgate came out fast and early.
The Quakers eventually prevailed, however, winning by a score of 5-2.
The doubles play was especially intense, with each point fiercely contested by both sides.
Unforced errors were rare and long, hard-fought points were at a premium in a great performance by Penn's first doubles team of Chao and senior Rachel Shweky.
The two seemed to be in control of their match, but it tightened up at the end.
"We were up 7-3, we hadn't lost a service game yet," Chao said. "We kind of got nervous and gave away the next game."
Fortunately for the Quakers, nerves did not get the best of the duo, and amidst a flurry of slams they won, 8-5.
A valiant effort was made by the third doubles team of Brandy Washington and Ashley Lostritto.
After being down, 6-1, they cut the lead to 6-3, but would eventually lose, 8-4.
The match with the Red Raiders (1-1) heated up with Stanislawski and freshman Felicia Curcuru giving dominating individual performances for the Quakers.
Ptak capped off the night against Colgate with another singles and doubles win.
"I served very well," she said. "I was pretty much in control the whole match."
She would eventually beat the Red Raiders' Marissa Alikpala, 6-2, 6-1, in the top-seeded match.
The Quakers return to action in two weeks when they welcome a pair of southern teams to the Levy Pavilion. They will take on Richmond on Feb. 14 and then Virginia the next day.
PENN 7, Penn State 0
Singles
1. Ptak (PENN) def. Merryman, 6-2, 6-2
2. Stanislawski (PENN) def. Marton, 6-0, 6-0
3. Chao (PENN) def. Husain, 6-7(6), 6-0, 1-0
4. Shweky (PENN) def. Spence, 6-2, 4-6, 6-1
5. Ciochina (PENN) def. Downing, 6-0, 6-0
6. Schiffman (PENN) def. Bevard, 6-0, 6-1
Doubles
1. Chao/Shweky (PENN)
def. Husain/McKeown, 8-2
2. Ptak/Stanislawski (PENN)
def. Abraham/Merryman, 8-3
3. Kunovac/Williams (PENN)
def. Spence/Downing, 8-3
PENN 5, Colgate 2
Singles
1. Ptak (PENN) def. Alzneala, 6-2, 6-1
2. Stanislawski (PENN) def. Maldow, 6-1, 6-1
3. Couture def. Jasso (PENN), 6-4, 7-6(7)
4. Curcuru (PENN) def. Lipp, 6-0, 6-0
5. Rao def. Williams (PENN), 6-4, 0-6, 11-9
Doubles
1. Chao/Shweky (PENN)
def. Alzneala/Rao, 8-5
2. Stanislawski/Ptak (PENN)
def. Lipp/Wenink, 8-2
3. Maldow/Smalley
def. Washington/Lostritto (PENN), 8-4
