Penn continues four-game win streak at Lott Courts

Penn lost only three singles matches all weekend and did not drop any doubles matches. The Quakers just keep winning. After last weekend's matches with Army and Cornell, Penn has improved to a 13-5 record overall, and 4-0 in the Eastern International Tennis Association. "We are as confident as we've been all year," sophomore David Schwartzman said of the Penn men's tennis team. Victories over Navy and Princeton the previous weekend extended the Penn overall win streak to four games, and set the stage for the showdown on the Lott Courts with these two foes. "We've got to go into each match trying to win that one, and just let the record take care of itself," Quakers senior co-captain J.J. Cramer said. This approach paid dividends, helping the Quakers handle Army, 5-2, and the Big Red, 6-1. The pace of the Cornell match was established by the strong team doubles play. Penn's three doubles teams swept the boys from Ithaca, no team losing more than five points in its effort. The No. 1 team of sophomore Udi Kish and junior Marc Fisicaro pounded away at Army's Rae Cho and John Johnson. The unique two-back style of the doubles tandem worked well as they hit enough passing shots to give them the 8-5 edge. Cramer and fellow captain, Brad Goldberg, likewise made quick work of their opponents at No. 2. The No. 3 team of Schwartzman and Dominic Rioux continued to work their chemistry winning 8-3, and improving to a 4-1 record together. "Against Army, we got a little sloppy and had few too many three-set matches," Cramer said. The singles lineup hit some bumps along the way to the win. No. 1 singles player Kish and No. 6 Jordan Szekely were the only two players to take their opponents in straight sets. Kish beat Rich Michalski at 6-2, 6-4, while Szekely disposed of his opponent in swift fashion, 6-1,6-1. "We felt like we were starting to peak (in the Cornell match). If we knew we should beat a guy 6-1, we did," Cramer said. Saturday brought the Big Red to the Lott Courts. Looking to keep their EITA win streak alive, the Quakers were determined to send Cornell back to New York losers. The doubles teams looked as if they might never lose again. Stringing together a seventh consecutive team doubles point, Cornell showed little ability to stay with the Quakers. Sixth-year Penn coach Gene Miller once again shifted the lineup, relying on team depth to overcome the change. The No. 3 team paired Schwartzman with fellow sophomore Szekely for the first time this season. They subsequently won their first match together, 8-6. No. 1 and No. 2 doubles turned in what has become a habitual performance. Kish and Fisicaro won 8-5, and Cramer and Goldberg walked off the court having given up only four points. "The doubles point has turned out to be real important, even though it doesn't always seem like it should be," Schwartzman said. "If we are going to win next weekend (at Dartmouth and Harvard) we are going to need to win the doubles points." Penn's singles play then improved on the sloppy play of the day before. Every Quaker victory rolled in straight sets, no player losing more than four games in any of them. Strong Penn performances were turned in by Cramer, 6-1, 6-0, and Goldberg, 6-3, 6-1. "Everyone is pretty psyched up. We see that we have a talented team, but also a team that hasn't yet reached its potential," Cramer said. Penn's 4-0 EITA start has given the Quakers the building block for the rest of the season. "Taking each match with a grain of salt," in the words of Cramer, the Quakers will hope to keep the Eastern win streak alive next weekend. Penn should be tested in what has been touted as "The Match of the Season," with Harvard, as well as traveling to the friendly hills of New Hampshire to challenge Dartmouth.

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