M. Tennis needs to change luck

It is just a statistic. It probably is meaningless. But it's out there. The Penn men's tennis team has proved to be home warriors, and road door mats -- 10-2 at home, 1-3 on the road. What does it all mean, especially since the Quakers are voyaging to upstate New York this weekend as they prepare to face Army today and Cornell tomorrow? "Basically we have to go out and play our games," freshman Ehren Stenzler said. "We're playing them away so we will have to adjust to conditions. It's a little different from home." The conditions Stenzler mentioned -- new environment, different speed of court and the weariness caused by traveling -- need to be overcome in order for the Quakers to remain in strong contention for NCAAs. With losses already to West Virginia and Princeton, Penn (11-5, 0-1 Ivy League) is not in the position that it can afford a defeat to beatable teams like Cornell and Army. "Both these matches are really key," Stenzler said. "We can't afford too many other losses." Cornell (2-5, 0-0), a mediocre Ivy League team off to a rocky start, has not eclipsed .500 play in the Eastern Intercollegiate Tennis League since the Johnson presidency. It will be a battle of youth Saturday. Many of the players on both teams are underclassmen. Cornell will also be playing today, opening its Ivy season against Columbia. Tomorrow's match will be both teams second Ivy contest. Penn is not taking Army or Cornell lightly. "From what I understand, Cornell is a pretty strong team," freshman Jaime Klitzberg said. "Army is trying to rebuild. I don't think either team will be a 'gimme.' " After the Princeton and Navy matches, coach Gene Miller said the team was playing its best tennis of the season. Stenzler agrees, saying the team is "starting to peak." But he adds the doubles play can still improve. "In the big matches we haven't won the doubles," Stenzler said. "It kind of brought the team down mentally." The evidence bears this out. In Penn's two recent defeats to West Virginia and Princeton, the team started out strong and matched shot for shot with these powerhouses. In doubles play, the team who wins two of three matches gets the crucial first point. In both cases, Penn got edged out for the first point, and then subsequently faded. "I think the doubles play will be key," Klitzberg said. "Right now that's probably where we need the most work."