Looking to rebound after a tough loss to Princeton last week, Penn women’s tennis took care of business against Brown, snagging its first Ivy win.
The Quakers’ 4-3 win over the Bears was the first of a home doubleheader for the Quakers, and a victory helps set the tone for tomorrow’s duel against Yale at the Hamlin Tennis Center.
The Red and Blue (9-4, 1-1 Ivy) got off to a rousing start against the Bears (6-8, 0-1) winning the first doubles match, 8-0, thanks to excellent play from sophomore Sol Eskenazi and freshman Sonya Latycheva. Things got tight after the Quakers dropped the No. 2 doubles, but were able to close out with a win at No. 3 doubles to capture the doubles point, 9-7.
Eskenazi carried that momentum into her singles match, dispatching her opponent in short order, 6-2, 6-1, to give Penn a 2-0 lead. Brown came roaring back however, with both junior Stephanie Do (3-6, 2-6) and Latycheva (2-6, 4-6) dropping their matches to even the score at two apiece.
The Quakers would once again take the lead thanks to a gritty performance from Jaime Yapp-Shing who came back from down a set to win her match 2-6, 6-3, 6-3.
With six singles decidedly in Brown’s favor at that point, Penn’s fate rested on the shoulders of sophomore Alex Ion — and she did not disappoint. After a poor first set, Ion took the second, 6-3, and won the third in convincing fashion, 6-0, to clinch the match for the Quakers.
Penn will look to move past .500 in Ivy play against No. 41 Yale (12-2. 1-0) tomorrow at 2 p.m.
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