W. Tennis splits two Ivy matches

Penn's new-lookPenn's new-looklineup has mixedPenn's new-looklineup has mixedresults over weekend On last year's trip to New England, the Penn women's tennis team was swept by Dartmouth and Harvard. However, this year the Quakers were able to come home with a split against two of the better teams in the Ivy League. On Friday, Penn (7-5, 3-1 Ivy League) defeated the Big Green, 6-1, but followed up its victory with a loss to Crimson by the same score on Saturday. Dartmouth (1-7, 0-1) had just returned home after disappointing play over spring break and was looking to turn its season around with a win in its first conference matchup. Instead, the Big Green continued their losing ways against the Quakers. "I can't remember the last time we won at Dartmouth," Penn coach Cissie Leary said. "It is a really tough place to play." With co-captain Preety Sorathia out for the season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament, changes were made in the lineup at both doubles and singles. While the No. 1 and No. 3 doubles players remained the same, freshman Yukie Tokuda took Sorathia's place at No. 2 doubles, teaming with co-captain Beth Brady. The new team of Tokuda and Brady proved successful against Dartmouth, winning its first match, 8-6. And with a dominating 8-2 win at No. 1 doubles by sophomore Lara Afanassiev and freshman Julia Feldman, the Quakers were able to take the doubles point despite losing, 9-8, in a tiebreaker at No. 3 doubles. However, there was an even greater shakeup at the singles positions. Afanassiev moved to No. 1 singles, and everyone else moved up one position, leaving No. 6 singles open for freshman Corin Esterowitz. Afanassiev didn't experience any troubles moving into the top spot, easily winning her match 6-0, 6-2. But Esterowitz was not as successful, losing 6-2, 6-3. But the Quakers were victorious at the remainder of the singles positions, led by a comeback victory at No. 2 singles by freshman Karen Ridley. After dropping the first set 1-6, Ridley won the second set, 7-6, on a tiebreaker and took the third set, 6-2. "Without Sorathia, the team had to step up their level of play," Leary said. "They believed they could win, and they did." After its impressive victory over Dartmouth, Penn was unable to continue its success against perennial Ivy League powerhouse Harvard (12-3, 2-0). The always strong Crimson feature appropriately-named freshman Ivy Wang, who was ranked in the top 10 in the country as a junior and was coached by Leary in intersectional competition. Wang defeated her old coach and led Harvard to victory, bamboozling Afanassiev at No. 1 singles 6-0, 6-1. Harvard also posted easy victories at the No. 4, No. 5 and the No. 6 singles positions. The only highlights for the Quakers came at No. 3 singles, where Feldman posted Penn's only victory. After losing the first set, 6-2, Feldman came back to win the second set, 6-2, and take the third in a tiebreaker. With the loss to Harvard, the Quakers may no longer have a shot at the Ivy League title, but they can still strive for a second-place finish.