Levy courts will be very busy

Fully aware of the recognition that comes with success on the playing fields, the Penn men's tennis team takes to the courts this weekend to defend its honor against a host of opponents. In their first competition of the regular season, the Quakers will host Boston University, Georgetown, George Washington and Rutgers at Levy Pavilion during today, tomorrow and Sunday. Though all four present stiff competition, GW, ranked fourth in the region, figures to be the toughest obstacle. "GW is probably the best of the four teams," Penn senior Mark Schecter said. "But we can't afford to take any of them lightly." The competition's format of five singles and one doubles match gives an edge to the Quakers, they feel, because of their depth. "The format is definitely to our advantage," Schecter said. "Our depth will allow our team to win matches, and because our lineup is so strong, it won't hurt us that all matches go on at the same time." Of the four teams, Penn has faced BU and GW most recently. In the fall, the Quakers rocked their Boston counterparts, 6-1, but many of the matches were three-set thrillers. Last season, the Quakers defeated GW, which received recognition from voters as one of the top in the country, and Penn has added much depth since that upset. "We're ready for this weekend," Penn sophomore Roy Sehgal said. "Georgetown is probably the weakest of the teams, but even they won't be easy. And we're excited to play GW again. They're ranked in the top four in the region, so we'll have to beat them to prove we belong." The Quakers, however, must keep things in perspective. Though they have defeated each of these teams in recent years, they must not be overconfident in playing them this weekend. "Everyone has to play for the team," Sehgal said. "We can't afford to be cocky, or else we'll have some trouble with them." Either way, the Quakers must be ready for the stiff competition they will face this weekend. Because the season is a long one, getting off on the wrong foot could dampen the possibility of going to the NCAA Tournament. And a poor performance will cost Penn recognition and respect.