QUAKERS IN ACTION

M. Fencing sets its sights on Ivy title The Quakers will have the opportunity to tie for the Ivy League championship. Penn, with a record of 10-3, travels to Princeton, who won the last two Ivy League titles, in a conference dual meet at 10 a.m. A Quakers win guarantee Penn a share of the Ivy title. The Quakers will also take on North Carolina at the meet. Columbia, who the Quakers defeated last weekend, is already assured part of the title. There is also the possibility that Yale, who faces Harvard this weekend, could cause a three-way split for the championship with a win over the Crimson. Princeton, which already has league losses to Yale and Columbia, will try and play the role of spoiler to the Quakers. "Princeton's a very strong team," Penn coach Dave Micahnik said. "It should be close all the way." The experience of Quakers seniors Nathan Anderson and George Kalmar will be critical. "Princeton has a young team, and we're hopeful we'll be able to take advantage of that," Micahnik said. Penn will have another strong test against the Tar Heels, a match that can not be overlooked. "They usually are a very athletic team," Micahnik said. "The meet is important because they're in our region." This weekend, however, has more importance for Penn than just the capture of the Ivy League title. Because of a conflict in scheduling, the Quakers are going to miss the regional meet this year, which is a qualifying event for the NCAA championships. Instead, Penn will be competing at the Intercoastal Fencing Association championship meet. "This weekend will be a big home stretch for individuals to get to the NCAA," Micahnik said. "IFAs cannot help someone get invited to nationals. They can only reaffirm their previous performances." -- Erin Eliasen Princeton awaits W. Fencing "Once we beat Columbia, there is nobody else we need to beat as badly as Princeton," Penn coach Dave Micahnik said. The Quakers (12-3, 2-2 Ivy) will have an opportunity to take down the Tigers tomorrow at Princeton's Jadwin Gymnasium. The Princeton squad (10-2, 2-2) did not lose any starters from last season. And freshmen epee Caitlin Rich (27-10) and foil Barrett Williams (37-10) have added additional strength to this season's lineup. But the Tigers fell to Columbia earlier this season, 20-12. The Red and Blue defeated Columbia two weeks ago. "Our performance against Columbia should serve as a reason for confidence," Micahnik said. Although the Quakers cannot repeat as Ivy League champions, Saturday's match still has significance. A victory over the Tigers will allow Penn to conclude their season with a winning divisional record. Saturday's meet against Princeton will be the final Ivy League match for senior foils Megumi Sakae and Sarah Johns. It will also help determine which fencers will advance to the NCAA tournament at Yale. Later in the day, Penn will compete against North Carolina and Air Force. Neither school should put up much of a fight against the Quakers. Penn will be at full strength for Saturday's meet. Freshman Tammy Hancock will return to the lineup after suffering a knee injury two weeks ago against St. John's. "Saturday's match will be a opportunity for a team victory and a chance to make an impression before NCAA selection," Micahnik said. -- Marc Edelman M. Tennis to meet cross-state rivals The Penn men's tennis team hopes to build on its recent success in two matches this weekend at Penn State. The Quakers (4-1) will face the Nittany Lions (3-2) this afternoon at 3:30 p.m., and will take on nationally-ranked Northwestern (6-1) Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m. The Wildcats are currently ranked among the nation's top 50 teams, which Quakers coach Gene Miller said was "comparable to being in the men's basketball top 25." The Northwestern match, along with the historic tennis rivalry between the Quakers and Nittany Lions should, in Miller's' opinion, "provide Penn with two tough matches." Last year Penn and Penn State resumed their competition for the Malloy-Cathralls Cup, currently held by the Nittany Lions. The trophy is named after a former Quakers coach and a former Lions coach under whose tenures the rivalry began. Penn's Al Malloy, who logged 31 years at courtside for Penn, and Penn State's longtime coach Holmes Cathralls began the annual cross-state rivalry. Penn's top priority along with a strong performance is to return the cup to West Philly. While the Northwestern match will provide an excellent early season barometer for the Quakers, the Penn State match will be a more important meet from a practical standpoint. Like the Quakers, the Nittany Lions are in Region 1. The nation is composed of 8 NCAA Division I regions. Penn's performance within its own region is what will determine whether or not it will gain a bid to the NCAA championships. -- Matt Greenberger